Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- sweet
- witty
- awkward
- date night
- lazy weekend
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film sweet, low-key, and emotionally open, while viewing its modest teen-romance story as slight and conventional.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Dave and Aubrey openly discuss virginity and their emerging relationship while trying to understand what intimacy means to them.
Dave's move to college in another city creates the central practical obstacle to his connection with Aubrey.
The plot foregrounds conversations about virginity and attraction while the supplied critical reception emphasizes its lack of gratuitous raunchiness.
Dave and Aubrey's relationship develops through one party, walks, and casual weekend conversations before the looming college transition.
Films like The First Time, and why
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
shared teen romance, awkward first love, and emotionally sincere coming-of-age drama
Easy A
shared high school setting, sexual inexperience, witty romantic tension, and youthful self-discovery
The Spectacular Now
shared low-key teen romance, relationship uncertainty, and bittersweet young-adult emotional realism
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
shared first love, conversational intimacy, and gentle romantic comedy tone
Movie Details
- Director
- Jon Kasdan
- Release Date
- 2012-10-19
- Runtime
- 95 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (2182)
Cast
- Dylan O'Brien
- Britt Robertson
- Craig Roberts
- James Frecheville
- Victoria Justice
- Maggie Elizabeth Jones
- Halston Sage
- Lamarcus Tinker
- Joshua Malina
- Christine Taylor
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- MGM Plus, Howdy Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The First Time about?
- A hesitant high-school romantic triangle becomes an earnest first-love story when Dave discovers that the artistic girl helping him pursue Jane may be the person he truly wants.
- What is The First Time like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The First Time as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is The First Time violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The First Time as mild.
- What did critics think of The First Time?
- Critics broadly found the film sweet, low-key, and emotionally open, while viewing its modest teen-romance story as slight and conventional.
- Which films are like The First Time?
- Films with a similar feel include The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Easy A, The Spectacular Now, and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist.
- How long is The First Time?
- The First Time runs 95 minutes.
- Where can I watch The First Time?
- In United States, The First Time streams on MGM Plus, Howdy Amazon Channel.
