Edge of Seventeen (film)

Edge of Seventeen
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	David Moreton
Produced by	Christine Vachon
Written by	Todd Stephens David Moreton
Starring	Chris Stafford Tina Holmes Andersen Gabrych Stephanie McVay Lea DeLaria
Music by	Tom Bailey
Cinematography	Gina DeGirolamo
Editing by	Tal Ben-David
Studio	Luna Pictures Blue Streak Films
Distributed by	Strand Releasing
Release date(s)	June 14, 1998 (1998-06-14) (New York) June 11, 1999 (1999-06-11)
Running time	103 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$1.5 million
Box office	$871,759

Edge of Seventeen is a 1998 coming of age romantic comedy-drama film directed by David Moreton, written by Moreton and Todd Stephens, starring Chris Stafford, and co-starring Tina Holmes and Andersen Gabrych.

Plot

Sandusky, Ohio, 1984: Eric Hunter is a Eurythmics-obsessed, musically driven teenager coming to terms with his sexual identity and his New Wave fashion sense. When Eric and his best friend, Maggie, accept summer jobs in food service at the local amusement park, they befriend their lesbian manager, Angie, and a gay college student named Rod. Sparks fly between the two boys, even as Maggie waits patiently in the wings for Eric's affections. Rod eventually gives Chris the first-time experience he was looking for, then promptly heads back to Ohio State, leaving the boy to spend his entire senior year looking for love and acceptance. As Eric's outlandish fashions raise eyebrows with his loving parents, he learns that his frustrated pianist mom is going to have to get a job to help send him to study music in New York.

Meanwhile, Eric ventures out to the local gay disco, a hopping joint run by none other than his old boss, Maggie, who shows him the ropes and gives him just enough rope to hang himself. Stung by a meaningless sexual experience and pining away for the otherwise involved Rod, Eric decides to sleep with the saintly Maggie, but he's too open and sensitive to pull a fast one on her; crestfallen at his rejection and his willingness to toy with her affections, she ends the friendship, leaving Eric to confide in his mother, and find his place in the gay community.

Cast

• Chris Stafford as Eric Hunter
• Tina Holmes as Maggie
• Andersen Gabrych as Rod
• Stephanie McVay as Bonnie Hunter
• Lea DeLaria as Angie
• Barbie Marie as Frieda
• John Eby as Dad
• Jeff Fryer as Johnathon
• Jason Anthony Griffith (uncredited) as Scott

Production

While part of the film was set at The Ohio State University, a portion of the filming was completed at Oberlin College.

Much of the filming took place in Sandusky, Ohio and the amusement park scenes were filmed at Cedar Point, the amusement park where the writer actually worked when he was in high school.

Release

The film premiered at the New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Film Festival in June 1998 and the Sundance Film Festival in January 1999, before getting a limited release in June 1999.

Edge of Seventeen currently holds a 73% 'Fresh' rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Accolades

1998 Outfest

• Won Audience Award
  • Outstanding Narrative Feature (David Moreton)
• Grand Jury Award
  • Outstanding American Narrative Feature (David Moreton)
  • Outstanding Screenwriting (Todd Stephens)

1998 San Francisco International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival

• Won Audience Award
  • Best Feature (David Moreton)

See also

• "Edge of Seventeen", the Stevie Nicks song in which the film's title is based

External links

• Edge of Seventeen at the Internet Movie Database
• Edge of Seventeen at AllRovi
• Edge of Seventeen at Box Office Mojo
• Edge of Seventeen at Rotten Tomatoes