Most coming-of-age stories are total lies. They’re populated by 25-year-old actors with perfect skin who spend their days in choreographed musical numbers or solving high-stakes murders between chemistry periods. Then there is The Edge of Seventeen.
It’s messy. It’s cringey.
If you’ve ever felt like the secondary character in your own life, Nadine Franklin is your patron saint of awkwardness. Released in 2016 and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, the film didn't just land; it stuck the transition from the "John Hughes era" to something much more jagged and honest. It’s a movie about being a "loser" where the protagonist is actually kind of the problem, and that’s why we love it.
The Hailee Steinfeld Factor: Why Nadine Works
Nadine isn’t "movie awkward." She doesn’t just trip over a backpack and look adorable. Hailee Steinfeld plays her with a prickly, defensive, and often genuinely annoying energy that makes the performance feel like a documentary of a panic attack.
She’s grieving.
The film centers on the aftermath of her father’s death, a trauma that has basically frozen her social development. When her only friend, Krista (played by Haley Lu Richardson), starts dating her "perfect" older brother Darian (Blake Jenner), Nadine’s world doesn't just crumble—it implodes.
🔗 Read more: Love Island UK Who Is Still Together: The Reality of Romance After the Villa
It’s a specific kind of teenage narcissism. She’s so wrapped up in her own pain that she can’t see anyone else’s. Honestly, it’s hard to watch sometimes because it’s so accurate. We’ve all been that person who thinks their heartbreak is the only one that matters in a 50-mile radius. Steinfeld earned a Golden Globe nomination for this role, and she deserved it for the way she delivers a monologue about wanting to jump off a bridge with just enough dark humor to make you laugh while feeling terrible about it.
Woody Harrelson and the Art of the Unfiltered Mentor
If Nadine is the engine of the movie, Mr. Bruner is the brakes. Woody Harrelson plays the history teacher we all wished we had—or maybe the one we actually did have but didn't appreciate.
He doesn't give "O Captain! My Captain!" speeches.
Instead, he eats his lunch and tells Nadine that her suicide note is poorly written. It sounds harsh on paper, but on screen, it’s the only thing that keeps her grounded. Their dynamic is the heart of The Edge of Seventeen. Bruner provides a cynical, dry counterpoint to Nadine’s high-octane melodrama. He treats her like an adult by refusing to coddle her, which is exactly what she needs.
Interestingly, Kelly Fremon Craig actually spent months interviewing teenagers to get the dialogue right. She wanted to capture the specific cadence of how Gen Z (at the time, the leading edge of it) actually spoke. You can hear it in the way Nadine overshares or the way Erwin Kim (played by a fantastic Hayden Szeto) stumbles through every single sentence he tries to say to her.
💡 You might also like: Gwendoline Butler Dead in a Row: Why This 1957 Mystery Still Packs a Punch
The "Good Brother" Myth
Usually, in these movies, the popular brother is a jerk. He’s a jock who makes fun of the protagonist. But Darian isn't a villain.
That’s the twist.
Darian is actually holding the whole family together while their mother (Kyra Sedgwick) is spiraling. The scene toward the end where Darian finally snaps and tells Nadine how much pressure he’s under is a gut-punch. It shifts the entire perspective of the film. Suddenly, you realize that while you’ve been rooting for Nadine, you’ve also been ignoring the fact that she’s been incredibly selfish to the people who love her most.
It’s a rare bit of nuance. The movie acknowledges that being the "perfect" kid is just as exhausting as being the "messy" one. It tackles the domestic reality of grief without turning it into a Lifetime movie. The house feels lived in. The laundry is piled up. The resentment is quiet until it isn't.
Why it Ranks Among the Best of the Genre
Critics often compare this film to Lady Bird or Eighth Grade, and while those are brilliant, The Edge of Seventeen has a specific "rewatchability" because of its humor. It’s genuinely funny. The scene where Nadine accidentally sends a graphic, horrifyingly detailed text to her crush, Nick Mossman, is the pinnacle of secondhand embarrassment.
📖 Related: Why ASAP Rocky F kin Problems Still Runs the Club Over a Decade Later
- Authenticity: The clothes aren't high fashion; they're weird thrift store finds.
- Dialogue: It’s fast, biting, and lacks the "written" feel of a sitcom.
- Soundtrack: From Anderson .Paak to The Strumbellas, the music feels like a curated playlist of a lonely 17-year-old.
Most teen movies end with a big prom dance or a massive public apology. This movie ends with a small, quiet moment of realization. Nadine doesn't suddenly become popular. She doesn't get the "hot" guy (because the hot guy was actually a jerk). She just learns how to be a little bit more human.
Small Details You Might Have Missed
Look at the background of Mr. Bruner’s classroom. It’s cluttered and real.
The film was shot mostly in British Columbia, though it’s set in Oregon. That Pacific Northwest gloom adds to the mood—the gray skies perfectly match Nadine’s internal state. Even the way Nadine drives her old car feels like a character trait. It’s clunky and outdated, much like her refusal to move past the mid-2000s in her head.
Also, pay attention to Erwin’s art. The "pet film" he shows Nadine is actually quite good, which serves as a reminder that everyone around her has a whole inner life she’s been too distracted to notice. It’s a recurring theme: the world is big, and you are small, and that’s actually a relief.
The Legacy of The Edge of Seventeen
Even years after its release, the film remains a staple on streaming platforms because it doesn't age out. The technology might change—we use different apps now—but the feeling of sending a text you immediately regret is universal.
It’s a masterclass in tone. It balances the "life is over" stakes of adolescence with the "actually, you're fine" reality of adulthood. If you haven't seen it in a while, it’s worth a rewatch just to see how much your perspective has shifted. You might start the movie identifying with Nadine and end it feeling a lot of empathy for her teacher.
How to Apply the Lessons of the Film to Your Own Life
Watching a movie like this is one thing, but the "Nadine mindset" is a real trap that’s easy to fall into. To move past your own "edge" of seventeen (or thirty-seven), consider these steps:
- Audit your "Main Character" moments: Next time you're spiraling, ask if you've checked in on your "Krista" or "Darian" lately. Everyone has a struggle you can't see.
- Find a "Mr. Bruner": Seek out a mentor who doesn't just tell you what you want to hear. Honesty is a better survival tool than empty validation.
- Embrace the Cringe: Nadine’s biggest mistakes came from trying to force a connection. Letting things happen naturally—like her eventual friendship with Erwin—is always less painful than the forced alternative.
- Revisit the Classics: If you enjoyed this, watch Say Anything or Ghost World. Seeing the lineage of "honest" teen cinema helps you realize your awkwardness is part of a very long, very normal tradition.