Freshman Year Review Movie
Freshman Year Review
In the US the film is known by the title of Shithouse which is the type of title that suggests an college film that follows tradition. Animal House tradition: all about drinking or having a good time, as well as sometimes puking. The blandly-renamed-but-eminently-more-marketable Freshman Year deals in all three traditions — but, in a refreshingly revolutionary move, suggests that they might not always be healthy.
For many kids going off to college to go off on their own is a challenge. Poor social skills, a shaky mental health and little alcohol experiences means that college can truly be an uphill battle. This is certainly the case for Alex (Cooper Raiff who is on the filmmaking team with multiple hyphens) He's been spending much of his time in his dorm and being having to endure his rude living roommate Sam (Logan Miller) smoking marijuana — and, in a particularly gruelling scene, shredding his pants in the same bed.
In the moment he confesses to his mother during one of their daily crying phone calls, Alex feels like "a newborn baby" and is completely helpless to deal with the new burden of adulthood thrown at his shoulders, and totally lost in a tense and confusing environment. Raiff is a heartbreaking and incredibly sensitive performance in the role of a 19-year-old struggling to figure his way through the world, with an unpretentiousness that has not been seen since the devastating Elsie Fisher role in the 2018 film Eighth Grade.
It's not often that you witness young people represented so in a way that is honest or so simple.
An unexpected burst of self-imposed socializing is followed by Alex attending a beautiful horrible-looking house party. The event results in a few truly awful bedroom mistakes (including possibly the shortest and most entertaining sexual moment of this year). However, it does lead Alex into meeting Maggie (Dylan Gelula who is who is incredibly impressive) during the course of an alcohol-fueled night, they both make an attempt to sex and meet up with each other at the same time, and in that in that.
About an hour of runtime is then dedicated to the cute couple's meet-cute, as Freshman Year rapidly transforms into a beautiful hangout movie that fits the Linklater model Gen-Z Dazed And confused. The plot is shattered, while Alex and Maggie walk around campus, sip the $3 glass of champagne, fling with each other, discuss their past, open up about themselves to the world and then bury the pet turtle that passed away recently. The dialog is light on real-world realism, but it's also a lot of fun The characters are talking about nothing and it feels like everything else.
It's not often that you have young people shown in such a way that is honest or straightforward and, of course telling the truth by genuine young people. Raiff was a student who dropped out from college to make the film was only 23 when he composed directed, edited, and performed in the film; his obvious talent and talent is, in truth, insane. The film certainly owes thanks to the low-key indie and the ground it is based against (Jay Duplass who filmed in a cameo but was not cut, is a clear influence) as well as the essential shoegaze soundtrack that is sure that is in keeping with the detached style of directing. There are some who may find the romantic finale a bit too cute. However, it's a feeling of having well-earned. It's a college experience that brings it all into consideration, from the love-struck to the pants-slapping.
