on
NERVE (2016, 96 minutes, PG-13)
The
Quick of It -
Well,
I believe I have reached deep into the mind of a teenage girl and may have lost
myself. Help me... PLEASE!!!
This
film is based on a techno-thriller novel by Jeanne Ryan and centered around the
potential craziness social media can lead to.
Director team Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, who also paired up for
VIAL and the PARANORMAL ACTIVITIES, added to a growing genre for tween-targeted
thriller and horror films.
The
start was a crazy stumble through internet and app training. It looked like a 'how to' video on
YouTube. Believe it or not, they did
pretty well, as I can imagine those uncivilized toads not familiar with the
internet and cell phones would have been quickly lost. (It's a Trump world, I can say anything
disparaging I want....) And shortly
after, you get a Nerve dare for a teenage girl, who is a cheerleader, to bear
her butt at a high school event. They
didn't show, but wow. People are going
to jail for that one! So, not thinking
I can survive this one, I make myself promise to push through another 15
minutes as fair play before giving up.
This
casting was very effective and each selection, even for the smaller parts, made
an impact. Emma Roberts (of WE'RE THE
MILLERS and AQUAMARINE) as Vee is very endearing and plays the perfect role for
this story. Dave Franco (of NOW YOU SEE
ME and 21 JUMP STREET) continues to be a great addition to any project and makes
you root for him, even when he is a douche.
The theme of the story directly targets cyberbullying and peer
pressure. I remember being a teenager
once (long ago....) and could imagine some of those dares being made, and
having your friends pushing you into the 'danger zone'. Okay yeah... I was a teenager in the 80's.
Once
the crap hits the fan, the pace picked up and the danger became all to
real. What seemed a struggle to get
past the first 20 minutes pays off. The
hidden agenda slowly revealed itself and held together when you tried not to
think too hard. The climatic end boiled
over the edge of the pot and everyone burns.
EVERYONE! Okay, maybe not that
bad, it was a tween movie. Believe it
or not, the end could be a must see.
There are some sappy and quick wrap-ups, but the overall resolution was
spot on.
I
cannot endorse this film in all good conscience, as my mind has been corrupted
with near-prepubescent hormones. But...
make some time. You may be as surprised
as I was... or needing some strong counseling.
Whatever...
Grade:
B-
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