Recent Films Exploring Teenage Angst

The impending release of the film "We Need to Talk About Kevin," about a mother coming to terms with a school massacre committed by her son, brings to mind several of the other films in recent years that have highlighted the darkness and despondency felt by many teens in the face of the pressures of adolescence.

"The Chumscrubber"

With powerful and spot-on performances from such screen icons as Glenn Close and Jamie Bell, this film highlights the isolation and loneliness felt by teens, especially those living in the heart of the supposedly perfect and flawless suburban American landscape. "The Chumscrubber" pulls no punches when it comes to placing the blame, showing us the ways many contemporary parents, rather than actually caring for their children or paying attention to their welfare, ultimately ignore them, leading to the suicide that is the film's central narrative issue.

"Elephant"

Perhaps no film illustrates teenage alienation more than this one, which utilizes a sparse narrative and a number of unique techniques to immerse us as viewers in the disjointed and very nihilistic universe inhabited by the teenage characters. Despite its exploration of the issue of teenage violence, "Elephant" stubbornly refuses to pinpoint the cause of such violence, leading to the notion that, perhaps, there really is no satisfactory way to explain the violent actions that occur during school shootings.

"Nowhere"

Although produced during the 1990s, this film by renowned director Greg Araki is an exploration of the hedonistic lives of a group of teenagers as they explore their own sexualities and most fervent desires. Of course, despite their frenzied lifestyle, we come to realize just how empty and shallow their lives really are. The ending, which is easily one of the most bizarre and unexplainable in all of film, drives this message home. Even the most pleasure-loving and seemingly happy of teenagers, the film suggests, is really full of angst and loneliness.

For those who want to see a film that explores the vexed life of the American teenager, these examples will certainly fit the bill. They ask troubling questions about our culture and the way we think about our youth, how we treat them, and what we expect of them as they make their way through what can be a very challenging and emotionally perilous time in life. These films, dark and troubling as they often are, still ask questions that need to be answered.

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