A movie about friendship, high school, music, literature, and mental illness.

Rating: 10/10 (7 October 2012)

Immediately ascends to the pantheon of high school movies, ahead of The Breakfast Club and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. I saw it at the Writer's Guild with mostly a sixty-plus audience and they all seemed to love it, so, clearly, this is a movie that transcends generational appeal. In other words, it dealt with universal themes with great dignity and beauty.
The actors were all excellent, especially Ezra Miller as the gay best friend of Charlie. He was alternately glib and poignant without seeming the creation of an eloquent writer.
The score was a great eclectic mix of the eighties with brilliant usage of Bowie's Heroes and The Smiths Asleep.