Some teens embrace the challenge of adulthood. Others cling to a childlike irresponsibility. How do adolescents attain maturity? Although often surrounded by wealth, cinematic teens remain eager to leave home, willing to abandon their comforts and fantasies for something more—relationships that endure.
In the moving adventure story, Into the Wild, Chris McCandless flees his suburban upbringing. He hitchhikes across America, experiencing many transcendent moments, like his journey to Salvation Mountain. In the Alaskan wilderness, Chris learns to live off the land. Yet, he ultimately places too much faith in the natural world. Chris discovers too late that joy must be shared.
Princess Giselle is forced out of her Enchanted home in Andalasia. In New York, she discovers romance is more than love at first sight. She falls for a divorce lawyer rather than her fantasy Prince Edward. Enchanted questions our romantic dreams of princes sweeping us off our feet. Yet, Giselle wins us over with her sweetness. By the end, even cynical New Yorkers want to burst into song.
In The Darjeeling Limited, three brothers, on a spiritual pilgrimage to India aboard an exotic train, try to reestablish the bond they lost before losing their father. Unfortunately, they carry too much baggage into the journey. To attain maturity, they must drop idealized visions of their deceased dad.
Lars and the Real Girl comes across as a childlike fable. The premise (a loner falls in love with a sex doll) could have been awful. As Lars, Ryan Gosling conveys genuine innocence. The movie celebrates the Christian community’s ability to rally around one of their own. Lars demonstrates how patience can heal even the most fragile people.
What happens when your community turns against you? How do black students navigate a hostile world? The Great Debaters affirms the power of role models to inspire greatness. A debate team from Wiley College in Texas stands up to racism and wins a significant war of words. Director (and star) Denzel Washington exhibits enduring faith.
In Juno, one sexual encounter leads to considerable (comedic) complications. As an expectant mother, Juno must grow up quickly. She finds a wealthy couple eager to adopt her baby. Juno’s snappy sense of humor belies the serious choices she faces. Do we sequester teens in our suburban mansions or allow them to take responsibility for their own actions? Juno invites us all to grow up.
Filmmaker Craig Detweiler’s new documentary, Purple State of Mind, is touring across America. His next book, Into the Dark: Seeing the Sacred in the Top Films of the 21st Century, arrives in July.
