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Edge of Seventeen

Play trailer Poster for Edge of Seventeen Released Jun 11, 1998 1h 39m Comedy Drama LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
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80% Tomatometer 25 Reviews 73% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Set in 1984 in Sandusky, Ohio, it follows the coming-out of a naive 17-year-old at exactly the moment when gender-bending pop stars like Boy George and the Annie Lennox of the Eurythmics were flaunting androgynous images. As the youth, played with a heartbreaking sweetness by Chris Stafford, goes through his first rites of gay passage he emerges as a poignant gay everyman.
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Edge of Seventeen

Edge of Seventeen

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Critics Consensus

A time capsule assembled with honesty and sensitivity, Edge of Seventeen overcomes youthful fumbles to capture a time of life -- and an era.

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Critics Reviews

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Desson Thomson Washington Post Writer Todd Stephens and director David Moreton give us the inside scoop, live and direct, from Eric's heart. May 28, 2020 Full Review Barbara Shulgasser Chicago Tribune Writer Todd Stephens and director David Moreton show a gift for solid, emotionally realistic storytelling in a sensitive -- if racy -- coming-of-age tale. Rated: 2.5/4 May 28, 2020 Full Review Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader The actors mainly come across as movie types rather than characters, and despite the obvious sincerity of the project, deja vu seems written into the conception. May 28, 2020 Full Review Jan Stuart The Advocate The film has a "lived" quality that lets you know the writer has been there. Apr 19, 2022 Full Review Phoebe Flowers Miami Herald It's a fine debut script by Stephens, and Moreton is able to get startling performances out of his neophyte actors. Rated: 3.5/4 Aug 17, 2021 Full Review Joe Reid Decider More than anything, the movie is a collection of moments that feel so real. May 28, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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david f This is a wonderful coming of age film about a teenager wrestling with his gay feelings. It has great 80s period details, a fantastic indie vibe, and some of it was shot at Cedar Point where the teen has a terrible summer job that nonetheless gifts him with helpful friends and mentors. Eric's sexual experimentation, the rifts with his best friend and family, and his tentative and frequently revised plans for the future are relatable and heartbreaking. This is a great film. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Absolutely incredible- best coming of age film I've ever seen. Makes breakfast club look like Minions 2 Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review cinephile f I love this movie and think it's one of the best gay films ever made. It's a really tender coming of age film with a very senstive protagonist that I think a lot of gay men can really relate to. I wish more gay films were like this one. I especially love the lesbian "big sister" character. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Really touching and a good plot. I felt the ending was a bit anticlimatic and unsatisfying but a very good LGBTQ classic. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/16/23 Full Review Audience Member Perhaps my new favorite movie Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member Painfully realistic portrayal of coming out in that era. Beautiful music. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Edge of Seventeen

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Edge of Seventeen

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Movie Info

Synopsis Set in 1984 in Sandusky, Ohio, it follows the coming-out of a naive 17-year-old at exactly the moment when gender-bending pop stars like Boy George and the Annie Lennox of the Eurythmics were flaunting androgynous images. As the youth, played with a heartbreaking sweetness by Chris Stafford, goes through his first rites of gay passage he emerges as a poignant gay everyman.
Director
David Moreton
Producer
David Moreton, Todd Stephens
Screenwriter
Todd Stephens
Distributor
Strand Releasing
Production Co
Blue Streak Films, Luna Pictures
Genre
Comedy, Drama, LGBTQ+
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 11, 1998, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
May 2, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$870.8K
Runtime
1h 39m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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