Film Reviews & Movie Analysis

Surprise! A film you may not have actually watched or even heard about. The Art of Getting By (2011) is a quirky little indie movie with a couple of medium actors that have since made it big.

Statistics
Director: Gavin Wiesen (Directorial Debut)
Screenplay: Gavin Wiesen
Actors: Freddie Highmore and Emma Roberts
Running Time: 84minutes
Adaptation: Original Script

Synopsis
Lazy, artistic and uncaring George is in his last year of High School and has managed to make it thus far without lifting a finger both academically and on the social spectrum. His misanthropic outlook on life is challenged by popular and troubled Sally, who helps George realise the importance of living.

Why I Love It

The film is a pleasantly pessimistic. It essential questions the purpose of trying when you’re destined to fail. And sure these are coming from the lips of an inexperienced 18 year old, but you can’t help but find comfort in the realist nature of his views.

Emma Roberts and Freddie Highmore make the perfect unlikely pair and it’s a wonder nobody has thrown the two of them together again. Roberts shines in these off beat indie movies that no one has ever seen let along heard of. I feel like she isn’t acting-she becomes the character, which sounds cheesy but happens to be one of the most effective styles of acting.

Why You Should Watch It
I’ve said this about my other to favourites but this time I mean it when I tell you it’s subtly brilliant. It’t teen angst without the teen angst, the characters feel real, their words speak true and it’s hard not to get attached. They’re built so well that by the end of the film you want to know more. It’s just life, plain and simple. And sometimes that’s the best way to get a story told, and have it loved and understood. After all if our lives are reflected in the things we watch then why am I not yet a Wizard Assassin Lost Princess?

If they used actors ten plus years older… let’s say Matthew Perry played George and Kate Hudson as Sally, then the topic would border depressing, especially when entangled with all the attachments of adult life – relationships, kids, work etc.. However using teenagers you allow for a pretty dense topic to unfold lightly – let’s face it, who actually takes teenagers seriously?

How Many Times I’ve Seen It

Twice.

Yeah I know, you thought it would be another “countless” but no, I have seen this film a grand total of two times. I won’t rehash points I’ve made above, but the fact that I consider this film a favourite even when I’ve seen films I’ve disliked at least twice as many times (Twilight) says it all.

I was going to post the trailer for this film, as I doubt you will have come across it…. but it literally gives away the entire plot. *Sigh* Don’t worry, I’ve been fleshing out a post about something along these lines for a while now. Its time will come.