Over the Edge

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Over the Edge

PG

1979

1h 35m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

85%

Tomatometer

13 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

With only a recreation center to distract them, most of the teenagers in the drab planned community of New Granada have turned to drugs and delinquency. Carl (Michael Kramer), the son of a town councilman, is an exception, but he can't seem to help falling in with a charismatic and troubled classmate, Richie (Matt Dillon). Soon after, a trigger-happy sheriff (Harry Northrup) shoots Richie, and sole witness Carl has to go on the run, eventually inciting a dramatic teenage riot.

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Anton Bitel

Little White Lies

06/01/2021

This allegory of an America ever under construction examines, in a nuanced, even-handed manner, the money-obsessed mindset of adults, parents and entrenched authorities no less than the hostile recalcitrance of errant youth on their road to nowhere.

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Bruce McCabe

Boston Globe

04/28/2018

Jonathan Kaplan's Over the Edge is a sensitive and deceptively shocking portrait of middle-class decadence and alienation set against an impersonal, dehumanized, futuristic Sunbelt society.

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Geoff Andrew

Time Out

01/26/2006

Script, photography and performances (including Dillon before he decided to become a teenage Stallone) are all top notch, while Kaplan directs with pace, imagination, and a fine ear for dialogue and music.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

03/24/2024

3/4

Despite the sympathetic slant toward the kids, this isn’t a simplistic “us vs. them” screed.

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Larry Vitacco

Philadelphia Gay News

05/27/2020

1/4

This genre has spawned more unmemorable films than quality ones; sadly, Over the Edge falls into the former category.

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Fernando F. Croce

CinePassion

09/25/2009

Planned suburbia, teenage wasteland

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Darsou A

Oct 17

Kaplan has a fine feel for the crushing blandness of "planned communities"-the anger that possesses his underage heroes proceeds from a physically oppressive emptiness, represented by rows of hollow town houses and vast, blasted fields.

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mark g

@Mark_Alan_G. Oct 2

A bizarre little coming of age film that in the end is wildly entertaining and an astute cultural representation of a time and place in America, where kids lashed out at becoming an afterthought of their parents. The situation facing the characters in this movie is not recognizable to generations that came later. Technological time consumers like cell phones, TikTok and Instagram were not an option.The kids here were literally carried like luggage to a housing development where life catered exclusively to adults. No amenities are available to young people outside school and an archaic rec center which provides little in the way of fun. Kids literally are expected to be content with nothing to do. The youth eventually turn to vandalism and drugs as an escape from boredom and frustration. Upper middle class kids turning violent because they're bored? Yes, these are 14 and 15 year olds opting out of the middle-aged "way of life" chosen by their parents The acting is top-notch, in particular Dillon, Kramer, and Ludwig. The direction is brilliant, with several epic shots. The soundtrack is incredible.. In fact, the soundtrack is legendary.

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Alana M

@AlanaM Aug 7

Jonathan Kaplan's engaging exploitation nightmarish generation gap film is effective and honest.

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Oggie B

@OGDawg Jul 24

Jonathan Kaplan's Over the Edge is a sensitive and deceptively shocking portrait of middle-class decadence and alienation set against an impersonal, dehumanized, futuristic Sunbelt society.

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Emily H.

@Hollis.26 Jul 4

This movie was good. I loved it. Matt Dillon’s first movie. It was a good movie and I loved the acting. It was good.

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Brian A

Jun 8

If you wanna know what it was like growing up before cell phones and computers. Young Matt Dillon. Possibly the greatest soundtrack of all time. I have watched this movie many times over the years. Just a bunch of bored kids trying to have some fun.

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Jonathan Kaplan

Director

Michael Eric Kramer

Carl

Pamela Ludwig

Cory

Matt Dillon

Richie

Vincent Spano

Mark

Tom Fergus

Claude

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Synopsis

With only a recreation center to distract them, most of the teenagers in the drab planned community of New Granada have turned to drugs and delinquency. Carl (Michael Kramer), the son of a town councilman, is an exception, but he can't seem to help falling in with a charismatic and troubled classmate, Richie (Matt Dillon). Soon after, a trigger-happy sheriff (Harry Northrup) shoots Richie, and sole witness Carl has to go on the run, eventually inciting a dramatic teenage riot.

Director: Jonathan Kaplan
Producer: George Litto
Screenwriter: Charles S. Haas, Tim Hunter
Production Co: Orion Pictures
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 11, 2015
Runtime: 1h 35m

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