In the American town of Warsaw, director Nanette Burstein filmed the lives of several teenage students for ten months. We meet Megan the spoilt and popular girl, Jake the nerd who wants a girlfriend, Colin the sports jock, Hannah the outcast and Mitch the heartthrob. The pressure placed on these students by their school and their parents is both real and shocking, but it is also the way that their social lives defines who they are that is also engaging and true.
This revealing documentary provides a poignant examination of growing up that everyone will be able to relate to. All of the characters in the film are the clichés we have seen in many other fictional American films, but the authenticity of the documentary and the insights provided by Burstein, provides each of these people with sympathy and heart. While they are deeply flawed and some are quite nasty, it is difficult to entirely dislike them. Megan is highly immature, spoilt and nasty to her friends. Yet the pressure applied by her parents to be accepted into a decent college, as well as the suicide of her disabled sister, allows us to see someone who is flawed for a reason, and it is this earnestly throughout much of the film that provides it with its emotional core.
The access Burstein had to so much of their lives is highly intrusive and there are moments throughout the film that are difficult to watch, such as the breakup of Hannah's long term relationship. This is a particular painful moment in the film as the way Hannah speaks about herself is juxtaposed with a brief animated sequence to represent her degraded personal image. Perhaps it would have been more poignant without the animation and just shown her speaking, but regardless, there are a few moments like this that are very emotional and that you do not really want to experience because you can see them approaching.
Parents also form an integral part of the film, despite the rather negative light they are portrayed in. Many of the parents are seen as either controlling or pressurising of their children, particularly in sports. Colin – the star of the basketball team – is held almost solely responsible for the team's success and failings. His only way to get into college is through a basketball scholarship and there are moments of tension throughout his games where you are just hoping he will succeed. His dad is an Elvis impersonator and you know that Colin would to accomplish more with his life.
The geek's awkwardness and social inability provide several cringe worthy moments during the film, though Burstein's direction never judges him. We see him for who he is and he is certainly one of the more spiraling characters, who's lack of confidence and self pity is at times is difficult to watch, but in a sweet way provides the film with some humour too. He imagines himself inside video games meeting his girlfriend and slaying his enemies from high school. All of these kids are hoping for something better in their lives and Burstein has no shame in identifying that they want something more than what Warsaw provides.
Cynics may view American Teen as a cliché in itself since we have seen many of these elements throughout several fictional high school films, like American Pie and Juno. Yet it remains impossible to ignore the documentary's authenticity and – despite being set in an American town – the universal appeal of these people that many teenagers and their parents will resonate with and recognise. I found its insights to be emotional and moving.
4.5/5.