A sharp, painfully relatable coming-of-age comedy-drama that captures teenage self-absorption, loneliness, and the messy politics of friendship with real warmth. Its humor is brisk, its emotions are sincere, and Hailee Steinfeld gives it a fully lived-in center.
The Edge of Seventeen
Where to watch: Buy
Movie · Comedy · Drama
Fri · 1h 45m
Director: Kelly Fremon Craig
Starring: Hailee Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson, Haley Lu Richardson
Overview
Two high school girls are best friends until one dates the other's older brother, who is totally his sister's nemesis.
Director
Kelly Fremon Craig
Cast
Hailee Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson, Haley Lu Richardson
Curator Review
Verdict
A sharp, painfully relatable coming-of-age comedy-drama that captures teenage self-absorption, loneliness, and the messy politics of friendship with real warmth. Its humor is brisk, its emotions are sincere, and Hailee Steinfeld gives it a fully lived-in center.
Best for
fans of awkward, character-driven teen movies
viewers who like emotionally honest coming-of-age stories
people who enjoy dry humor mixed with vulnerability
audiences looking for a modern high-school film with heart
Skip if
you want a plot-heavy or highly stylized teen movie
you dislike cringe comedy or secondhand embarrassment
you need a broader ensemble rather than a tightly focused protagonist
you prefer coming-of-age stories that are more sentimental than biting
Overview
The Edge of Seventeen is one of the more accurate portraits of teenage self-loathing and social panic in recent memory. It understands how a small betrayal can feel apocalyptic at 17, and it lets that feeling stay messy, funny, and embarrassing instead of sanding it down into a neat lesson.
Worth noting
Hailee Steinfeld carries the film with a performance that is all defensive wit and raw exposure. The script has a strong ear for adolescent cruelty and insecurity, but it also gives room for tenderness, especially in the scenes that let Nadine be seen rather than merely judged.
Bottom line
What makes it stick is the balance: it is sharply comic without mocking its characters, and emotionally direct without becoming syrupy. It may not reinvent the genre, but it hits the nerve points with enough precision that it feels unusually personal.
Top Letterboxd reviews
cinéfila... 🕯️ (5★) · 16304 likes
a movie about a melodramatic, jealous, self-hating, pretentious young girl who wants to die... can't believe my life has been plagiarized like this!
cinéfila... 🕯️ (5★) · 9301 likes
you know, ever since we were little, i would get this feeling like... like i'm floating outside of my body, looking down at myself... and i hate what i see... how i'm acting, the way i sound. and i don't know how to change it. and i'm so scared that the feeling is never gonna go away. this movie may not be objectively perfect, but it's exactly what i need.
Marian (4★) · 9191 likes
why does everyone in this movie own a pool
Bethany (4.5★) · 7991 likes
lady bird's younger sibling
anika (4★) · 7217 likes
nadine would LOVE brutal by olivia rodrigo
Themes
adolescence, female friendship, loneliness, family conflict, self-image, grief, romantic jealousy, coming of age
Topics
coming-of-age, teen comedy-drama, female friendship, high school, cringe comedy, emotional honesty, family dynamics, romantic jealousy, millennial, indie-leaning