It was an alright movie. I am in between the other two reviewers on this movie. I thought the acting was a bit forced, but overall believable. I didn't have a problem with the actor being 26 playing 18 because it is acting. Actors in their 20s generally play teens in movies, and 18 is still a bit of an adolescent. Your brain and other parts actually keep developing well into your 20s.
4 Reviews
Weak, Pointless, Unintentionally Funny, and BORING
sexytail20 September 2007
I'm not sure how, but this is supposed to be a sequel to a movie I've never seen called "The Boy Who Cried B*tch". I suppose that's what the mother character's spoken prologue was supposed to be about. That doesn't really matter much because this movie is essentially plot-less.
A friend of mine got this DVD handed to him free at Ozfest so at least I don't have the embarrassment of having picked out this awful movie to see. We both went into it cold, expecting nothing (there was no description on the box). Bad sound and static shots delivered us the makings of a story about a wealthy family troubled with the problem of an oldest son burdened with "borderline multiple personality disorder". What this disorder means for the movie is that the son, Stephen, acts like a jerk all the time, is violent, and blames his mother for everything.
The movie soon falls into a predictable pattern of showing Stephen abuse his mother (and women in general) and being put into institutions, occasionally escaping them, until he turns 18 and is dropped on his unprepared family again. The actor playing the lead is 26 at the time and looks it, and even if we believe he is 18 the title "Adolescent Years" seems a bit off the mark. His two younger brothers, both in their teens (I think they were supposed to be anyway) are 2 dimensional and only serve to pad out the time. The younger one is an apologist for Stephen and the older is a cocaine addicted art student.
The boredom is broken up by occasional unintentional stretches of humor (particularly when Stephen is messing up his mother's room and tries to knock things off the top of the dresser). The dialog is mostly dull repetitive swearing. The attempts at making things dramatic or interesting all fell flat. The humorous title turns out to be the best part and even then it's appropriate considering how often Stephen says the "b" word. Either way it wasn't worth the long slow 90 minute sit.
Don't watch this.
A friend of mine got this DVD handed to him free at Ozfest so at least I don't have the embarrassment of having picked out this awful movie to see. We both went into it cold, expecting nothing (there was no description on the box). Bad sound and static shots delivered us the makings of a story about a wealthy family troubled with the problem of an oldest son burdened with "borderline multiple personality disorder". What this disorder means for the movie is that the son, Stephen, acts like a jerk all the time, is violent, and blames his mother for everything.
The movie soon falls into a predictable pattern of showing Stephen abuse his mother (and women in general) and being put into institutions, occasionally escaping them, until he turns 18 and is dropped on his unprepared family again. The actor playing the lead is 26 at the time and looks it, and even if we believe he is 18 the title "Adolescent Years" seems a bit off the mark. His two younger brothers, both in their teens (I think they were supposed to be anyway) are 2 dimensional and only serve to pad out the time. The younger one is an apologist for Stephen and the older is a cocaine addicted art student.
The boredom is broken up by occasional unintentional stretches of humor (particularly when Stephen is messing up his mother's room and tries to knock things off the top of the dresser). The dialog is mostly dull repetitive swearing. The attempts at making things dramatic or interesting all fell flat. The humorous title turns out to be the best part and even then it's appropriate considering how often Stephen says the "b" word. Either way it wasn't worth the long slow 90 minute sit.
Don't watch this.
No One Should Even Care
gunnarvl16 October 2015
Warning: Spoilers
The Boy Who Cried Bitch: The Adolescent Years is a god-awful little nightmare of a movie that has no relationship whatsoever to the excellent 1991 film starring Harley Cross. Different director, different character names, unrelated plot. This atrocity simply steals the main title and for the next 99 minutes inflicts the viewer with boredom and mindless violence without any motivation at all.
Another reviewer has stated that this movie provides "a realistic and true sense of what MOST American families go through". Well, that is only true if most American families count psychotic killers amongst their members. Additionally they state that the actions of the main character mirror similar actions due to what they perceive to be a general "economic downturn". I'd remind them that the family in this film is very wealthy, and money or lack thereof is no problem. Nor is purchasing a mansion for a summer getaway any type of financial burden for them. No one in this film family has a job, as they are independently wealthy. This is definitely NOT a study of "middle America". It does NOT show the "real deal", and the movie nails NOTHING "on the head". If this is indeed the directors first effort, then may it be his last effort as well. Have the creativity to come up with an original title instead of literally swiping the main title of a previously released, unrelated, little known, albeit great film.
Yeah, I guess it's filmed well, and the acting is OK, but it's all for naught. By the end of the story no one will really care as no understanding or even twisted empathy for the main character has ever been developed. If there was even a scant overall viewer desire established by the nine other people who wasted nearly 100 minutes of their life watching this, it is a desire for the main character to die horribly so the whole thing will finally and mercifully end.
Another reviewer has stated that this movie provides "a realistic and true sense of what MOST American families go through". Well, that is only true if most American families count psychotic killers amongst their members. Additionally they state that the actions of the main character mirror similar actions due to what they perceive to be a general "economic downturn". I'd remind them that the family in this film is very wealthy, and money or lack thereof is no problem. Nor is purchasing a mansion for a summer getaway any type of financial burden for them. No one in this film family has a job, as they are independently wealthy. This is definitely NOT a study of "middle America". It does NOT show the "real deal", and the movie nails NOTHING "on the head". If this is indeed the directors first effort, then may it be his last effort as well. Have the creativity to come up with an original title instead of literally swiping the main title of a previously released, unrelated, little known, albeit great film.
Yeah, I guess it's filmed well, and the acting is OK, but it's all for naught. By the end of the story no one will really care as no understanding or even twisted empathy for the main character has ever been developed. If there was even a scant overall viewer desire established by the nine other people who wasted nearly 100 minutes of their life watching this, it is a desire for the main character to die horribly so the whole thing will finally and mercifully end.
Realistic take on most American families - not MTV fantasyland
vincentmc6818 August 2009
This movie gives the viewer a realistic and true sense of what most American families go through in their lives - not the fantasy world most people think exists in the TV UN-reality world of Hogans and Kardashians.
The director puts it out on the line and gave what is an in-your-face account of middle America and the America that people do not want to acknowledge. Families for the most part are not perfect, especially in areas of economic downturn. If a documentary were to made on the effects to families caused by this current downturn, then go no further, this movie nails it on the head. If you can handle the truth, see the movie. Thanks for showing America the real deal.
I had read somewhere that this is the director's directorial debut. I would like see his next endeavor - a realistic romantic comedy/drama perhaps. Maybe even write the script, himself.
The director puts it out on the line and gave what is an in-your-face account of middle America and the America that people do not want to acknowledge. Families for the most part are not perfect, especially in areas of economic downturn. If a documentary were to made on the effects to families caused by this current downturn, then go no further, this movie nails it on the head. If you can handle the truth, see the movie. Thanks for showing America the real deal.
I had read somewhere that this is the director's directorial debut. I would like see his next endeavor - a realistic romantic comedy/drama perhaps. Maybe even write the script, himself.
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