Set in the early 1990's, 'As You Are' is the telling and retelling of a relationship between three teenagers as it traces the course of their friendship through a construction of disparate memories prompted by a police investigation.
This subtle but passionate essay on teenage identity and desire not only honours the Kurt Cobain school of teen spirit but brings something fresh and richly intelligent to the field of US independent cinema.
Much of the movie, from its attempts to capture the confusing exhilaration of youthful experience to its predictable progressive character dynamics, is labored.
The setup is common enough, but though you can check off the usual ingredients in what follows - sex, drugs, a glance at Kurt Cobain - this is the furthest thing from a social-issue teen drama.
Although the big reveal suffers from an almost lethargic lead-up, the film's key moments are raw and affecting, a beautiful reminder of the courage it takes to understand, love, and accept your true self.
Plays at emotional authenticity on subjects such as bullying and repressed homosexuality, however its reliance on a cheap murder mystery plot reveals its true aims.
This lyrical and ethereal film mixes the stark style of a crime story into a love story, capturing the highs, lows and the deepest, darkest recesses of grungy, stoned teenage life
