I never saw this one in my "Life Management" class in high school. You know, the one's where they teach you all of life's no-no's via After School specials--everything from eating disorders to drunk driving. 'Permanent Record' serves as a more coarse, more realistic story of teens dealing with their friends unexpected suicide.
A very young, less spastic Keanu Reeves heads up the cast as Chris Townsend, a high school senior who is struggling (along with his friends) to deal with his best friend, David's, suicide. David Sinclair (Alan Boyce), the star kid that held everyone in high expectation, pressure that he just felt he could no longer deal with and, decided to kill himself.
The suicide occurs early in the film, so for the most part, it is a matter of seeing how the friends deal with the situation and try to find a sense of closure (if at all). It serves less as an identifier of the warning signs of suicide, but instead may provide guidance for young folks who find themselves in a similar situation, when someone close (and presumably young) to them has died (regardless of how). So, in a sense, 'Permanent Record' is a brief, cinematic unilateral therapeutic session.
Entirely emotionally driven, this film is somewhat of a tear jerker, and slightly slow moving, but does well overall. Good performances by main teen cast, especially (and surprisingly) by Keanu Reeves (who also gets to show off his talents as a guitarist). Worth watching if you can find it.
A very young, less spastic Keanu Reeves heads up the cast as Chris Townsend, a high school senior who is struggling (along with his friends) to deal with his best friend, David's, suicide. David Sinclair (Alan Boyce), the star kid that held everyone in high expectation, pressure that he just felt he could no longer deal with and, decided to kill himself.
The suicide occurs early in the film, so for the most part, it is a matter of seeing how the friends deal with the situation and try to find a sense of closure (if at all). It serves less as an identifier of the warning signs of suicide, but instead may provide guidance for young folks who find themselves in a similar situation, when someone close (and presumably young) to them has died (regardless of how). So, in a sense, 'Permanent Record' is a brief, cinematic unilateral therapeutic session.
Entirely emotionally driven, this film is somewhat of a tear jerker, and slightly slow moving, but does well overall. Good performances by main teen cast, especially (and surprisingly) by Keanu Reeves (who also gets to show off his talents as a guitarist). Worth watching if you can find it.