Edge of Everything Review: A Fearless Performance by Sierra McCormick!
Nobody has ever cruised through their teenage years without a couple, if not multiple, bumps in the road. Not only is one trying to figure out who they are versus who they want to be, but the pressure from parents to continue to raise a “good kid” while trying to set boundaries that will keep their teenager safe while also giving them enough freedom is a whole other obstacle.
Abby (Sierra McCormick) is a fifteen year old girl, about to enter her freshman year of high school with all of the normal jitters and pressures of growing up, except that the loss of her mother has altered her life in ways she isn’t thrilled about. She now has to move in with her father David (Jason Butler Harner) and his girlfriend of four years, Leslie (Sabian Friedman-Seitz).
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When she meets a new friend Caroline who opens her up to new experiences, she must grapple with maintaining a relationship with her old friends, discover which version of herself she wants to be, all while silently grieving her mother and learning to get along with her father. As we all know, this multi-layered nightmare is known as being a teenager. Sophia Sabella and Pablo Feldman film Edge of Everything captures most of the conventions of coming-of-age films but succeeds in creating a film that feels universal while feeling like it encapsulates some of the newer pressures the upcoming generation of teens face.
Sierra McCormick is able to perfectly portray Abby, having the ability to subtly capture the innocence and childlike nature of her former self as she also attempts to grow out of the girl that her mother must have known. Even when she is trying to impress her new friend Caroline by taking drugs and playfully “seducing” men, McCormick always shows how behind the hard exterior still lies a young girl who laughs in awkward situations and still loves to be silly at sleepovers with her friends. The way she is able to change her attitude and outlooks so quickly is a testament to her talent as an actress.
Filmmakers Sabella and Feldman also balance out her character, displaying her as being experimental and curious rather than overly rebellious or anti-authority. In this way it paints Abby as a likable character who we watch through parent-like eyes, wanting to see her feel free with grief looming over her while also wanting to protect her from the outside world.
Edge of Everything primarily follows its group of teenage girls, which also includes Abby’s other friends Sarah (Emily Robinson), Lena (Nadezhda Amé), and Hannah (Dominique Gayle). Caroline’s character feels a little too on the nose as far as teenage stereotypes go, being a girl whose parents aren’t around, thus has a lower sense of self esteem but always tries to appear confident. However, the writing of Abby’s other three friends was refreshing. At first they seem very hesitant to try anything rebellious like Abby, including weed, alcohol, and even cocaine. However, as the film progresses we see a different side to them.
Girls who get a thrill out of sneaking out of the house and going to clubs even if it doesn’t fit their straight A personas. This feels genuine to the teenage experience where there are not always two extremes to branching out as an adolescent. There is some give and take and everyone’s journey of teenage experimentation can look different. In this we see Abby still wanting to hold onto the child-like experiences with her girl friends while also experimenting with things she feels ready for the way some films will have teenage girls look down on other women who may not be like them or hang out in the same circle, Edge of Everything possesses a sense of female comradery that although subtle speaks volumes to this newer culture of acceptance among this generation of young adults.
Caroline is clearly much different than Abby’s other friends Sarah, Lena, and Hannah. However, when they all get together, aside from some of the choices Caroline makes that the others would rather not partake in, they never blame her for Abby’s new transition, but instead discuss with Abby head on the choices she makes herself, even if it is under Caroline’s influence. At the end of the day, the entire group of girls have this unspoken connection among them, that they are all teenage girls trying to survive their high school years regardless of where they come from or how different they are.
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There is even more depth to Abby’s father than most coming of age films possess regarding parents. The film also shows how our parents are also trying to navigate a new world that their teenagers bring into their home. And, even though parents already went through their teenage years, doesn’t mean they know how to navigate their own life’s obstacles. Edge of Everything, although it sticks to the script of the teenage storyboard, it does provide some nuances that make it an entry into the genre that is worth viewing.
‘Edge of Everything’ Rating – 3/5
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