Over the Edge

Wow, why isn't this a classic? Awesome dejected 70's suburbia setting, with incidents that aren't as far from the truth as y'all may want to believe. The soundtrack is cool, too and it's fun to see a young Matt Dillon. The final scenes are crazy, in a good way. Definitely a film that's gonna grow on me even more, I think.

Been looking for this movie for years and so glad I finally found it. A group of restless teenagers get into trouble in a town in the desert with not much for them to do. A very young Matt Dillon in one of the stars. The rest of the child actors all did an excellent job. This should be more well known. Great movie!

Poor boy, poor boy. Down-hearted and depressed and in a spin. Poor boy, poor boy. Oh, youth can really do a fellow in.

For some reason this turned out to be one of the most moving films I've seen in some time

hell yeah. this is what i wanted RIVER'S EDGE to be. i actually love that terrible poster because it seems like exactly the kind of hysterical handwringing garbage one of the adults in the movie would design.

The only problem was I thought the climax was overdone. But there were lots of great moments throughout. Like Matt Dillon calling out to Carl, "Hey, there's your wench!" And Corry walking away as Carl faces her through the window. And of course there's "Ooh Child" at the very end. Or Carl burying himself in his headphones after yet another fight with ma & pa (I well remember that feeling--who doesn't?). Oh yeah, and Claude taking speed before class then realizing it's acid--I laughed for days.

Sorry for the ones who prefer it less dangerous. This film smells like my cup of tea. Pair this with "Ett anständigt liv" for a great 1979 double-bill. And fuck all the pigs.

A novelty factor of a very young Matt Dillon and a cool soundtrack can't quite mitigate the sense that a lot of this is less than believable.

Engaging to watch but not entirely believable. Introduces a very young Matt Dillon.

Eh. The whole thing is very contrived. However, I didn't get the impression that it was completely aware of its absurdity. Matt Dillon developed into a great actor, but this is without a doubt his worst film. I appreciate the sentiments and themes, and probably would have loved it when I was 13, but at 33 it does little for me. It feels like an anarchist Nickelodeon film, which may sound intriguing, but it doesn't work.

A group of teens find sanction in drug use and delinquency when forced to live in an unaccomadating planned community.

86

The performances by the grown-ups in the film are more effective than those of the younger actors, but Kramer and Dillon are pretty good, and Pamela Ludwig is super-hot. A great deal of Over the Edge is gawkily acted and motivated, but it's executed with such vibrancy and disquiet that, as you watch it, you're often caught halfway between an embarrassed laugh and a struggle for breath.

New Granda is a place that ignores its youth and has extremely combustable cars. Kaplan's early GenX film is filled with rage as he allows a cast full of amateur actors run amok in a stark backdrop. I thought this was really effective, even when it almost dips into genre award its conclusion. A forgotten gem.