The Spectacular Now ****

When Sutter wakes up on a lawn and doesn't know where he is or remember how he got there, it's not exactly a surprise for this hard-partying high school senior. Sutter loves to have a good time and doesn't worry about tomorrow. He lives for moment. Others may worry about tomorrow, like the girlfriend who just dumped him, but Sutter is happy where he is. Then, on that lawn, he meets Aimee, a nice girl he's never noticed, a girl who reads for fun and doesn't have a boyfriend. Slowly, surely, Sutter gets to know Aimee and starts to get a new perspective on life.

It's a familiar story, but this comedy/romance/drama has a freshness and unfiltered perspective, almost innocence, about it that is captivating. The principals, Miles Teller as Sutter and Shailene Woodley as Aimee, are strikingly good, charming, and natural. The supporting roles are strong, with Jennifer Jason Leigh as his protective, concerned mom, and Kyle Chandler as the charming, hard-partying father he never really knew. It's a lovely, ultra low budget effort and well worth a view. We'll be seeing lot more from these two young stars, I expect, as well as director James Ponsoldt.