American Teen
A candid ensemble portrait of Indiana high school seniors navigating cliques, romance, pressure, and the uncertain threshold of adulthood.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- intimate
- wistful
- candid
- reflective viewing
- coming of age double feature
What critics said
Critics broadly found the documentary engaging and emotionally perceptive, though its conventional treatment of teenage archetypes limited its impact.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film centers on Hannah Bailey, Megan Krizmanich, Colin Clemens, Jake Tusing, and Mitch Reinholt as distinct students within one high school community.
Its subjects are high school seniors confronting cliques, expectations, relationships, and decisions about the future.
The documentary situates its subjects in a small Indiana town and emphasizes the social world of its high school.
The participants appear as themselves while the film documents ordinary school life and personal tensions.
Films like American Teen, and why
Dazed and Confused
observational documentary portrait of adolescent identity, peer hierarchies, and everyday teenage vulnerability
The Breakfast Club
ensemble coming-of-age story centered on high school cliques, social pressure, and teen self-discovery
Eighth Grade
intimate documentary treatment of teenagers navigating romance, friendship, and uncertainty in ordinary American settings
Movie Details
- Director
- Nanette Burstein
- Release Date
- 2008-07-25
- Runtime
- 95 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (51)
Cast
- Hannah Bailey
- Megan Krizmanich
- Colin Clemens
- Jake Tusing
- Mitch Reinholt
Where to watch in United States
- 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 American Teen about?
- A candid ensemble portrait of Indiana high school seniors navigating cliques, romance, pressure, and the uncertain threshold of adulthood.
- What is American Teen like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of American Teen as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is American Teen violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in American Teen.
- What did critics think of American Teen?
- Critics broadly found the documentary engaging and emotionally perceptive, though its conventional treatment of teenage archetypes limited its impact.
- Which films are like American Teen?
- Films with a similar feel include Dazed and Confused, The Breakfast Club, and Eighth Grade.
- How long is American Teen?
- American Teen runs 95 minutes.
- Where can I watch American Teen?
- In United States, American Teen is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
