Film Review: 2:37

I found this an emotionally upsetting film but I am pleased I saw it. Apparently it was written and directed by a 20 year old. I am glad I don’t have teenagers in high school. We think we know them. Underneath the surface so much is exploding. We meet seven teenagers in a graduating high school class. The area is obviously upper middle class. I have never seen a high school with so many shrubs and trees. We are introduced to the 7 students. We see them in relation to other students. Each student also talks to the camera. When these interviews are photographed the color of the film is grey and white to distinguish with the action. The story is more like a documentary. At the beginning of the film young Melody discovers that there is a problem when she cannot get into a washroom. We see the sight of blood coming from the locked room. We don’t know who the person is until the end of the film. Melody is a beautiful young girl. She always looks so unhappy. Her parents are divorced. The father expects too much from Melody and her brother Marcus. The mother has gone on a vacation and Marcus and Melody are alone. Towards the end of the film we learn some very disturbing information about the relationship between Melody and Marcus. Steven is an awkward young student. He has a medical problem and it results in his wetting his pants. Obviously this causes severe problems for him. Even one teacher is extremely unkind in his remarks. The very handsome Luke is a perfect specimen of manhood. The boys like to be around him as an example of a jock. The pretty Sarah is always kissing him and thinks of the time when they will be married. Everyone has secrets and he, too, will inform us about his situation. I especially felt pain for the young boy who is gay. The other boys are cruel. He also feels that his parents are not as accepting of him and his brother gets more love and attention. This is a very difficult age as the students are almost adults and yet are forming their personalities and character. You can’t help but feel for them. The title comes from the time that the young person dies in the washroom. The story was dedicated to a friend so I have to believe that much of the story was fact elated. It was a lot of emotion from only 7 students yet I felt that this was a powerful story to tell. It is not easy.