The First Time
2012 · Directed by Jon Kasdan
Original language: English
- drama
- comedy
- romance
The story
A spark of attraction smolders, then ignites, between two teens from different high schools who meet by chance at a party.
What it’s like
Soft, warm interiors and handheld closeups that stay near the faces of two teenagers who keep almost saying the right thing: a late-summer party glow, lamplit bedrooms, a rumpled car at night, the easy hush of suburban streets after dark. The mood is bittersweet and tender with a light comic edge, the kind of gently awkward warmth that suits a lazy weekend afternoon or a comfort rewatch with someone you trust. Its pacing is conversational and unhurried, built from long talks, nervous pauses and small, sincere gestures rather than big set pieces. The emotional arc follows two wary young people slowly admitting how much they matter to each other, with the friction of first feelings and first fumbles kept gentle and funny rather than sharp. Sex and nudity are present in the teen-romance way, with fumbling, suggestive humor rather than explicit content; there is some profanity, some drinking and occasional peer pressure, and no violence, gore or real cruelty. It is for viewers who want a sweet, self-conscious coming-of-age romance that feels like remembering your own adolescence without its sting.
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