Big Time Adolescence

A seemingly bright and mostly innocent 16-year-old named Mo (Griffin Gluck) attempts to navigate high school under the guidance of his best friend Zeke (Pete Davidson), an unmotivated-yet-charismatic college dropout. Although Zeke genuinely cares about Mo, things start to go awry as he teaches Mo nontraditional life lessons in drug dealing, partying, and dating. Meanwhile, Mo’s well-meaning dad (Jon Cryer) tries to step in and take back the reins of his son’s upbringing. Working from his own sharp script, director Jason Orley has created an all-too-real look at what it’s like to be a teenager today. He’s supported by his strong cast, including Emily Arlook, Colson Baker (aka “Machine Gun Kelly”), Thomas Barbusca, Oona Laurence, and Sydney Sweeney. The result is a fresh coming-of-age tale that’s still familiar in all the right ways.