Few films of the past twenty years have nailed the delicate balance of realism and melodrama that comes with the coming-of-age genre so perfectly as 2013’s The Spectacular Now.
The late great Roger Ebert acknowledged as such in his review of the film, awarding it his famous and highest rating of four stars, making it the last film to receive such an honor from arguably the most influential film critic of the past fifty years.
Ebert gave many controversial and surprising films four stars, but for those who have seen the film, it won’t come as a shock that it was so highly-regarded by him due to its deep tenderness and empathy for its characters without coming off as schmaltzy or cheap.
It addresses real and difficult topics in a nuanced and holistic way including alcoholism, familial trauma, depression, abuse, and the intensity of young love elegantly that you won’t…
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