Try Seventeen (2002)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Jeffrey Porter

Writer:

Charles Kephart (writer)

Release Date:

1 April 2003 (Russia)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Drama

Tagline:

You're only seventeen once. For Jones Dillon, it's one time too many.

Plot:

The story of a young man who enters college only to discover that he can learn more about life and love from his neighbors in the apartment building where he lives.

Plot Keywords:

Apartment Building | Apartment | College | Photographer | Fantasy Life

Cast

Elijah Wood	...	Jones
Franka Potente	...	Jane
Mandy Moore	...	Lisa
Chris William Martin	...	Steve
Deborah Harry	...	Ma Mabley
Elizabeth Perkins	...	Blanche
Aaron Pearl	...	Brad
Andrew Jackson	...	Guy
Malcolm Scott	...	Randy
Aloma Wright	...	Alicia
Frank C. Turner	...	Custodian
Josh Byer	...	Skinhead
Chad Faust	...	Tough
Daniella Evangelista	...	Girlfriend
Michael Roberds	...	Clerk

Also Known As:

All I Want (USA) (DVD title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexuality.

Runtime:

96 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

German | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Manitoba) | Iceland:L | Australia:M | Denmark:11 | Germany:12 | Indonesia:17/atas | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:NC-16 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Millennium Films

Trivia:

On some of the DVD box covers, Jane and Lisa's hair colors are reversed from that of the movie.

Quotes:

Jones: Well, you're good.
Lisa: Really? I mean, not just compared to you?

Soundtrack:

Her & Dad

Reaching the Maturity

The seventeen years old newcomer in town Jones Dillon (Elijah Wood) drops out the university on his first day, after a problem with his roommate, and decides to rent an apartment in an old building. Jones pays one year rental at once for the 2B apartment and his only possessions are a trunk and a typewriter that belonged to his unknown father. Jones spends his time fantasizing his life, writing never-sent-letters to his absent father and discussing by phone his childhood and family problems with his alcoholic mother (Elizabeth Perkins), who lives in Texas. He becomes friend of a painter cowboy, who lives on the first floor, and of the aspiring actress Lisa (Mandy Moore), who lives in the apartment 2A on the same floor. Jones has a crush on the temperamental photographer Jane (Franka Potente), who lives in apartment 2C. After a car accident, Jones reaches the maturity and resolves the outstanding problems of his life. 'Try Seventeen' is a kind of love-hate movie. My wife, for example, just watched half of the story and gave-up to see the second part. I liked this film, about a young man leaving adolescence and finding his own path. The viewer has to keep in mind that Jones's neighbors are indeed Lisa and Jane, otherwise it would be very hard to believe that a guy would have Mandy Moore and Franka Potente available on the same floor. There is comedy, romance and drama in this sensitive story well directed by Jeffrey Porter. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): 'Era Tudo o Que Eu Queria' ('This Was Everything That I Wanted')