The Adventures of Sebastian Cole (1998)

In June, 1983, in Dutchess County, New York, Sebastian Cole joins his mother, step-father, and sister for dinner. Hank, Sebastian's step-father, drops a bomb: he announces he's changing ... See full summary »

Director:

Tod Williams

Writer:

Tod Williams

Stars:

Adrian Grenier, Clark Gregg, Aleksa Palladino

4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Adrian Grenier	...	Sebastian Cole
Clark Gregg	...	Hank / Henrietta Rossi
Aleksa Palladino	...	Mary
Margaret Colin	...	Joan Cole
John Shea	...	Hartley
Marni Lustig	...	Jessica Cole
Joan Copeland	...	Grandmother
Tom Lacy	...	Grandfather
Gabriel Macht	...	Troy
Herbert Russell	...	Wayne (as Russel Harper)
Greg Haberny	...	Jimmy Bogardus
Peter McRobbie	...	Principal
Merritt Wever	...	Susan
Marisol Padilla Sánchez	...	Woman In Desert
Rory Cochrane	...	Chinatown

Storyline

In June, 1983, in Dutchess County, New York, Sebastian Cole joins his mother, step-father, and sister for dinner. Hank, Sebastian's step-father, drops a bomb: he announces he's changing sexes. Sebastian's sister splits immediately for California, and his mother takes him back to England. Jump ahead eight months, Sebastian is back in New York, knocking on Hank's door. Hank (now Henrietta, although all the surgeries aren't complete) takes Sebastian in and is his rock over the next few months of high school. Sebastian's "adventures" are mostly self-destructive.

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Plot Keywords:

high school | england | friendship | spanish | college acceptance letter | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and crude sexual references, and for some substance abuse

Details

Official Sites:

Paramount Classics

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 January 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

Die Abenteuer des Sebastian Cole

Filming Locations:

Clermont, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$12,598 (USA) (6 August 1999)

Gross:

$100,041 (USA) (15 October 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Culpan Productions LLC

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Featured in The Strokes music video for "Hard to Explain".

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Goofs

When Sebastian is running to catch the school bus his blue scarf is on again, off again through the entire scene after he misses the bus.

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Quotes

Wayne: Why do you want to get out early anyway? What are you going to do with yourself?
Sebastian Cole: Well, get a haircut, pay taxes, die.

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Connections

Referenced in Frame on the Wall: The Making of 'The Door in the Floor' (2004)

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Soundtracks

"Whole Wide World"
Performed by Wreckless Eric

User Reviews

If you're looking for something different in a sea of "American Pie's," check this one out.

There are some that love this movie, and there are some that hate it with the fire of a thousand suns. True, this movie isn't for everyone, but if you're like me, it might possibly become one of your favorites of all time. I'm a big 80s junky, I love all the classics, from John Hughes to Cameron Crowe, and I always thought they just don't make teenage movies like the ones from yesteryear anymore. Then came Sebastian Cole. It looked and felt like a film picked straight out of the Golden Age, back in the 80s when teen movies were in their prime. The film was a timeless, edgy, and original take on something we've all seen before: the coming of age story. The title character, Sebastian, is endearing, and though the plot can get a bit slow at times, you're always interested in where his life is leading next during the course of the story. His relationships with his sister, his friends, his girlfriend, and his stepfather all pan out beautifully and by the end, you feel like you know these people. If you're looking for something new and different in a sea of "American Pie's", you should definitely check this movie out.