I bet you don’t have the slightest clue what I’m talking about. A theme park? Something going on this weekend? No, actually, the 2009 film directed by the same guy who did Superbad. Yeah, that got you interested didn’t it?

Not to mention the stunning soundtrack, but a pretty good cast too. They’ve thrown in a rather odd mixture of Ryan Reynolds, Kristen Stewart, Kristen Wiig, Jesse Eisenberg and Bill Hader among others. Set in the 80s, it’s really something different to what we generally see in the movies these days. It’s minimal, yet effective. It’s dramatic without being tacky. I like that.

Back to the soundtrack, since the plot is set in the 80s, so is the music (attention to detail, also a good thing). There are no generic, four-chord songs which have been overused a thousand times over, but tasteful choices which blend well into the background as well as the narrative. One of my all time favourites now, because of this film, is Crowded House’s Don’t Dream It’s Over and it’s heartbreakingly beautiful. As is The Velvet Underground’s Pale Blue Eyes. The OST is perfect to listen to either on a shitty, rainy day, on a painful bus journey or whenever, I find it extremely comforting. Another favourite is the Stones’s Tops. Please just bloody go and watch it already so I can nerd out about the soundtrack with someone else other than myself.

I appreciate a realistic plot, and this one is very believable. Not only a teen drama, but the film deals with domestic dramas within and outside of a married household in multiple families. It mirrors many day-to-day lives, but the uniquely tweaked details make you feel. It does get quite deep, and to qualify the level of ‘deep’, I found myself saying “ah shit” a good few times under my breath. And of course there is heartbreak. What’s a good movie without at least one?

The movie will seem bleak to some people, which I can equally appreciate. As for the excitement and ‘rush’ level, it’s nothing down the lines of Fast and Furious, or a Bond film, but you knew that when you watched the opening credits. I would describe it as thought-provoking, although the film isn’t designed to change the world. Give it a chance; for me, it’s one of those films I can watch as many times as I like without it getting monotonous.

To Be Continued: – Kristen Stewart is Seriously Underrated!