The Edge Of Seventeen

When it comes to movies, there's something to be said for the middle ground. Big-budget blockbusters can provide wondrous flights of fancy; independent films often tackle topics with which many viewers may be unfamiliar. So, it can be easy to sideline stories exploring the highs and lows of everyday life by assuming they're not about to reveal anything new.

However, don't forget that saying about how we tell one another stories to be reminded that we're not alone in the world - that the troubles we face are often shared by others and that victories enjoyed by others are not beyond our reach. That may sound like a lofty way of praising the new comedy-drama The Edge Of Seventeen, but this tale of an awkward, angry teenager hilariously and heartbreakingly trying to find her place in the world is remarkable in its relatability.

Even if your adolescent years are in the rear-view mirror, there's a good chance you'll recognise parts of yourself in the growing pains of Nadine, played by Hailee Steinfeld. But beyond its central character, The Edge Of Seventeen - written and directed by first-time filmmaker Kelly Fremon Craig - also delivers wise and witty observations about when to acknowledge and embrace what makes you '​you', and when you should try like mad to get out of your own way.

Steinfeld made a marvellous first impression on moviegoers with her smart, headstrong performance in the Coen brothers' True Grit but has since struggled to find another project and role worthy of the potential she displayed there. Her portrayal of Nadine, who we meet at a particularly turbulent time in her life, fulfils that potential and then some. Nadine has long been awkward and antisocial, with only the enduring friendship of bestie Krista (Haley Lu Richardson) keeping her from being a total high school outcast, but the untimely death of her beloved father a few years earlier has made her feel even more disconnected.

Things get even more complicated when Krista hooks up with Nadine's golden-boy brother Darian (Blake Jenner), leaving Nadine feeling more alone than ever. The charmingly clumsy advances of classmate Erwin (Hayden Szeto) provides some distraction, while the level-headed reactions of history teacher Mr Bruner (Woody Harrelson, wonderful in his underplaying) to her drama-queen antics is a much-needed reality check.

It's testament to writer-director Craig's commitment to honesty that while The Edge Of Seventeen is sensitive to Nadine, aware that her worst behaviour stems from sadness, self-loathing and confusion, the movie isn't afraid to point out when she's being wilfully selfish or needlessly cruel. This may make it sound awfully dour, but the movie is also terrifically, tartly funny (the to and fro between Nadine and Mr Bruner is priceless) and winningly sweet. Craig is definitely a filmmaker to watch, and Steinfeld is certainly back in the game, thanks to a performance that's both incredibly precise and universally understandable.