Super 8 provides what so, so many summer blockbusters fail to: real people and real kids.
During the opening minutes of the film we are introduced to a group of 12-year-old friends in the steel mill town of Liliane, Ohio, in 1979. The boys, who are delightfully imperfect in their makeup, could just as easily be switched out with any preteen kid you know.
From the opening scene I immediately fell in love with the characters, because they’re familiar figures from my own childhood. I knew a Cary (Ryan Lee), a kid with buck teeth and a flirtatious relationship with pyromania. I knew a Charles (Riley Griffiths), a kid that was overweight, talented and controlling. I knew a Joe (Joel Courtney), the shy introvert who had lots of talent but near failing grades. And, I certainly knew Alice Dainard (Elle Fanning), the troubled, yet talented tomboy, who latched on to any group that she fit in.
Not only is it refreshing to see these roles written for actual kids, but inspiring to see those roles given to children who don’t already look like they are able to step onto the cover of GQ or Vogue. And there is a tenderness to JJ Abrams’ (writer, director, co-producer) treatment of these youths. He does not go for the easy story, of love and love lost- though he could – he prefers to let the kids act as kids do, as fumbling, occasionally irreverent, short-people.
Take for example one of the primary narrative arcs, when Charles asks the girl he likes (Alice) to appear in his movie. She says yes, there is no lengthy deliberation. When Charles figures out that Alice and Joe enjoy each other’s company more than he would like, he has a small confrontation with Joe. It does not tear the group apart. And, when Joe and Alice share an emotionally palpable moment they do not kiss -though Abrams easily could have chosen to have them to- they hold hands. It is at its heart a sweet, nostalgic film, and one that I believe holds up as the best of the year thus far.
It doesn’t hurt that Abrams and Spielberg have woven a highly immersive throw-back, sci-fi narrative. It’s suspenseful, mysterious, humorous, and even a bit wistful.
I hope that more films will follow Super 8’s lead – I think they would find that viewers, in turn, would follow them.