Sin #2: Two Teen Flicks

Teen angst isn’t easily captured on film. That’s why filmmakers turn it into its head and tilt those anxieties into comedy. Most teen-driven movies focus on shallow and sex-obsessed characters whose own developing arc consists on getting the girl of their dreams. I won’t deny some of these motion pictures are fun; hell, I loved the audacity of “Superbad”, that at least made its characters sex-drive into an uproarious and delightful coming-of-age story, thanks to its witty dialogues (vulgar and crass, sure, but smart, with an edge).

“Temporada de Patos” and “Lake Tahoe” are not comedies (although they share their moments of dead-pan humor) and they aren’t dramas either (although they also share their moments of emotional turmoil). I’d call them existential since they focus on a single day in the life of pretty ordinary people without the benefits of a narrative formula dictating their behavior.

“Temporada de Patos” starts out with two kids ordering pizza and playing video games. They are bored and don’t seem to have any plans for the day. Gradually, other character enter the picture (a neighbor that wants to bake a cake and the pizza-delivery guy who wants to be paid but unfortunately arrives some minutes late and therefore can’t charge for the food (thanks to the 30 minute policy)).

The director, Fernando Eimbcke, shoots the movie in black and white to represent a mundane view of life. He doesn’t overstuff his screen with visual distractions and the film has the distinctive quality of being shot on a real department and not an elaborate set. The dynamic between the kids is authentic and the dialogues feel almost improvised.

Whether “Temporada de Patos” is popular with kids is a good question. They’ll feel frustrated at its pace and lack of resolution, because most teens are wired to like fast editing and predictable endings (we got Hollywood to thank for that one). Although there will be some who will relate to these kids and understand how this movie captures a particular truth about growing up.

“Lake Tahoe” starts with a kid crashing his car. He needs to fix it so he goes in search for a mechanic who can help him. Unfortunately it’s not easy to find someone available in the little town of Chicxulub in Yucatan. In his journey he’ll find some strange and quirky characters and gradually we’ll come to understand what made him drive away in the first place.

Eimbcke shoots in color this time and uses still cameras and distinctive transitions to once again suggest a relaxed and rather ordinary setting. Some will find the film too slow but it builds a steady rhythm and gradually pulls us in.

The truth is that Eimbcke has a clear understanding about youth and how teens relate to their environment. Just like Gus Van Sant (on films like “Elephant” and “Paranoid Park”), he casts actual teenagers and simply observes behavior. No event is amped simply for effect, making us realize that, well, life isn’t a cliché waiting to happen, it’s simply a hard process of understanding and maturity.