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The Myth of the American Sleepover
Directed by
David Robert Mitchell
Produced by Adele Romanski
Written by David Robert Mitchell
Produced by Adele Romanski
Written by David Robert Mitchell
With:
Claire Sloma, Marlon Morton, Amanda Bauer, Brett Jacobsen, Nikita Ramsey, Jade Ramsey, Annette DeNoyer, Wyatt McCallum, Mary Wardell, Douglas Diedrich, Dane Jones, Shayla Curran, Christopher Simon, and Amy Seimetz
Cinematography:
James Laxton
Editing: Julio Perez IV
Music: Kyle Newmaster
Editing: Julio Perez IV
Music: Kyle Newmaster
Runtime:
96 min
Release Date: 22 January 2011
Aspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1
Color: Color
Release Date: 22 January 2011
Aspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1
Color: Color
In his debut feature, David Robert Mitchell creates a magnificent take on the "last-night-of..." subset of the Teenage Coming-of-Age picture. While no mere homage to the iconic examples of this sub-genre, The Myth of the American Sleepover is fully aware of its predecessors like Superbad (2007), Dazed and Confused (1993), and, most especially, American Graffiti (1973). Like those earlier films, the movie centers on four young people (though here they not all from the exact same age or grade) as they search for adventure and meaning during a single significant night of adolescence—in this case, the last night of summer vacation.
The setting is suburban Detroit and the kids are mostly from the same race and economic background but each is at a slightly different stage of maturation. Before their Labor Day festivities and the first day back to school, the ensemble of characters spends the night at various types of house parties, many referred to as sleepovers. Each of the main protagonists has a goal in mind, some vague and some specific, but none will turn out quite the way they each imagine. The brilliance of the picture rests within the subtle way it observes how the dynamics in teenage relationships shift, sometimes in as little time as a single night, as teens begin to understand the truths and the falsehoods behind the cultural myths around adolescence they've been fed all their lives.
The setting is suburban Detroit and the kids are mostly from the same race and economic background but each is at a slightly different stage of maturation. Before their Labor Day festivities and the first day back to school, the ensemble of characters spends the night at various types of house parties, many referred to as sleepovers. Each of the main protagonists has a goal in mind, some vague and some specific, but none will turn out quite the way they each imagine. The brilliance of the picture rests within the subtle way it observes how the dynamics in teenage relationships shift, sometimes in as little time as a single night, as teens begin to understand the truths and the falsehoods behind the cultural myths around adolescence they've been fed all their lives.
The cast of non-actors and first-time actors is uniformly excellent, with each member of the company, regardless of the size of their role, inhabiting the sense of false confidence and deep insecurity that has lived inside us all to one degree or another. A palpable wistful longing weaves its way through each interaction and every beautifully composed shot. Working with cinematographer James Laxton (Medicine for Melancholy), Mitchell seems to be one of the few young directors who know how to use the widescreen format for a purpose beyond just "looking cool." The picture's visual aesthetic and deliberate editorial pacing make it stand out among the myriad teenage movies released in the last twenty years.
Twitter Capsule:
Mitchell's exquisite take on the "last-night-of..." subset of Teen Coming-of-Age pictures quietly observes the subtleties of how relationship dynamics shift in adolescence and perfectly captures the wistful quality of a stage in life most of us are eager to get over with but miss once it's gone.