High School Record (2005) User Reviews

Two new students at an art school decide to film a year of high school to see if it is worth remembering.

[The-Plague · 5/10 · 28 May 2014]

Normally I gauge a movie in a few different ways when it is either really good, or really bad. When a film is just okay however, I think to myself, "Was watching this movie worth my time?" I am an average guy in his mid 20's with an average job, so my time isn't as precious as some, but I do dislike wasting my time on utterly terrible cinema. I watched High School Record today on Netflix and as ambiguous as it may be, I can say, "It's wasn't particularly good, but it was worth the time I spent." High School Record is a pseudo mockumentary about two high school students filming an entire year of school because as they put it, most people say high school was a blur and they want to see if something worthwhile can be found. You don't find out too much about the students filming, aside from the few lines they have, and the music they play in the movie, which I must say is not bad at all. Other characters, who each get their own segments, are somewhat interesting. There were some humorous parts of the movie, a few lines I might remember for a week or so, but nothing outstanding.

I have read in other reviews how amazing this movie is because it is so true to life, but honestly, I don't buy into that concept. These actors seemed about as close to high school students as Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. From girls having armpit hair, even the popular girl (which sure was a no-no when I was in school), to the dialogue, to the interactions with each other...all seemed fake. Buuuut it is set in an art school so maybe that is how artsy kids act, who knows? The one saving grace of this movie is that it didn't try to be something it wasn't, there was no big realization or boomboxes being held up outside of houses. It wasn't a Pretty in Pink or a Breakfast Club, it wasn't even a She's All That...it was what it was, actors attempting to play awkward high school students and one goofy free spirited teacher. Sometimes it is nice to just watch a movie, not have to think, and giggle at the few good jokes and remember how much you hated high school.

Eddie is the Man!

[JJersey · 24 February 2005]

I saw this film at Sundance this year and at first I didn't know what to think. The film is very raw and almost appears to be something you can make. That is NOT the case. Once the film gets going you get hooked. The story is solid and does a great job building up the plot and characters which is impressive because of the nature of the film. Basically, its not like all the rest of the films you see. The characters are so unique and entertaining, they themselves make the movie. All in all, this movie was very well done for what it is. I recommend seeing it if you have an appetite for distinction. Please release this movie! And please give us some memorable quotes!

Really, really bad

[celesteschaefer · 1/10 · 2 February 2005]

I saw this movie at Sundance 2005 and was stunned at how bad it was, although based on the catalog description I was excited to see it. Supposedly a "mockumentary" of two high school students making a documentary of high school life, it featured bad acting, bad directing, completely lack of engaging characters as written, and all-around is a total bust. I love good movies about high school, and this is not one of them. The characters are one-dimensional and self-consciously "cool" although they are supposed to be outcasts. You get the overall impression of a bunch of people sitting around making an on-purposely-bad movie to show their friends, yet somehow it got into Sundance. Mystifying.

really, really FUNNY

[debby-14 · 9/10 · 10 March 2005]

This movie was very, very strange and very, very funny. All of the actors are quite real and very odd. The overall "look" of the film was different, too, sort of dreamy and bleached-out, which only added to the spacey, fumbling, weird vibe of the whole thing.

It's not for everyone, I mean, it's not what you would call "mainstream" but that is what I liked about it. It's unlike anything I have ever seen before . . . unpredictable, with a weird rhythm and punch lines in the strangest places. The kids are so heartbreakingly goofy (and pimply) that you can't help but feel for them. In other words, these are far from "hollywoodized" versions of teenagers.

All of, which for me, makes it a good thing.

amazing

[thebigmike01 · 10/10 · 21 May 2005]

i first saw this movie at the sundance film festival this year, and being a teenager myself i found the movie to be quite appealing. these kids are out of the ordinary and very unexpected to be in a movie of this stature but with the right dialog and junk they made the movie a complete success. i enjoyed this movie more then others but i highly recommend releasing and watching this movie. it is a mixture of witty comments and hilarious reality. capturing the essence of high school, high school record has topped my favorites list and hopefully has a chance to be released into theaters. i truly thank all of the kids who put the hard work into making this film, it helped me cry my eyes our in laughter.

"I could have made this movie...." But I didn't and that's the point!

[ethanbullard · 3 February 2005]

I just saw "High School Record" at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. I really enjoyed seeing it amongst the expensive, high profiles films that week. It was funny, (very funny) and original yet simple in scope. I'm interested to see if this movie gets bought or distributed. I'm not sure about the commercial appeal of this film, for it is a bit slow at times, there are never any huge punch lines or sweeping character arcs, and the soundtrack is good but not recognizable to a mainstream audience. The actors who played the half a dozen high school art students and their one flaky teacher were all first time actors, apparently coming straight from the underground Los Angeles punk scene. This was certainly an "amateur" movie, but that is why it is so effective. It is shot like a documentary from the point of view of two of the art school students. Rather than making any judgements on the character traits or flaws of these eccentric teenagers, the movie delivers a day-in-the-life look at this handful of seniors who in addition to wrestling with thoughts of post-high school life, or the status quo of their relationships, spend most of their time executing inventive ways to break from the minutia of high school. If the goal of this filmmaker was to show high school life as it is for the nerdy/rebellious/inventive kids, than I think keeping the low budget and low production value made for a much more effective film. And I hope "High School Record" does earn some recognition, for while it may look like a movie any high school kid has ever thought of making, that's just the point: this is the first to actually do it... and make it to Sundance, no less.

A Great Indie Film

[ubfilms · 9/10 · 5 June 2010]

A great portrayal of the microcosm of the American high school experience. This is an brilliant film on multiple levels. Both witty and humorous the film presents an adult viewpoint on the teenage experience without being preachy or dumbed-down (like many high school films). The acting is great, the scenes are well-written, and the dialog is spot-on. It takes a little bit to become accustom to the style of the film, but ultimately you become completely engaged with the originality of everything the film has to offer. With the similarities of the truthful awkwardness and sincere characters of Freaks and Geeks (without the clichés), High School Record is film that many can relate to and I highly recommend checking it out.

This is an amazing and underrated movie

[ilovemrjung · 9/10 · 16 May 2014]

I watched this movie ages ago and remembered liking it, and then ended up watching it again recently, mostly due to the fact that I couldn't find anything else on netflix. I loved it. It absolutely held up over time, and watching it again as an adult sparked all these bittersweet nostalgic memories of that short fleeting time of your life. It was hilarious and touching and the characters seemed engaging and real, probably since most if not all are musicians instead of typical Hollywood actors. It's one of those movies that looks easy to make in a way, but is actually really hard to pull off. It definitely was ahead of it's time.