Review: The Art of Getting By

THE ART OF GETTING BY

reviewer: Dexter Kong
Rated: 12a (UK)
Release Date: 2nd September 2011
Director: Gavin Wiesen
Cast: Freddie Highmore, Emma Roberts , Michael Angarano

The Art of Getting By is a coming of age story set against the backdrop of New York. George (Freddie Highmore) plays the awkward lead who is intelligent but at the same time falling in school by a current inexplicable, self imposed boredom of life. He encounters Sally (Emma Roberts), impulsively helping her out, taking the rap for punishment when she is caught smoking of the roof of their high school. The two start to bond and he starts to fall in love with her.

There are nice moments of reality spliced in (such as George playing the same song on repeat to engulf himself in his depression) which helps the relationship between Sally and George feel like something tangible. Though it doesn’t quite reach the level of hitting close to home that other films have achieved. It is interesting how these two are close in a two-sided coin situation of unfairness in George’s naivety and Sally’s unawareness. “You think too much George”, she quips in an argument.

Emma Roberts, seems to be coming out with a string of films as the misunderstood love interest. But in The Art of Getting By her character is nuanced enough to separate from the usual, she is seductive but at the same time maintains a plutonic relationship with George.

Freddie ‘baby face’ Highmore, although providing a good performance as the troubled George, still unfortunately feels incredibly young, scenes where they drink in bars has me wondering whether they have incredibly good fake IDs or whether it’s something I’m just not meant to question. Though I’m glad to see characters befittingly cast for their age group rather than the Dawson’s Creek 20 is the new 15.

The relationship the main characters have between their respective parents is something which hits refreshing territory and adds drama in an intertwining subplot. Sally’s mother (Elizabeth Reaser) is a man eating free spirit. Whilst George’s family (Rita Wilson & Sam Robards) is one which is superficial, trying to maintain the status quo of how a normal family should be, whilst it implodes from within.

The film seems torn on whether it wants to be something serious, reflective of an appropriation of real life or a tale of romance where everything is fine. By the end the audience is meant to have some sense of closure but also an understanding of continuation, by this I really mean it has the ending which doesn’t really end. Stand together, face camera, cut to black.

The Art of Getting By, is an enjoyable film for those with a head in the clouds view of romance, which pretty much exists in movies. But is a clear escapisms from the writer’s life. Here’s an appropriation of events pick out from life and in an “ideal” situation how they should work out.