Do you ever wonder about your teen years? The years where you constantly bickered with parents, made and lost friends, and endlessly competed with everyone around you. Most adults would agree that teens are a menace. Yet, why do adults wish to go back to those years?
Your teen years define the rest of your life. But society can often err when it comes to teens. Societal norms may unintentionally mold young adults to think like adults. Honor Society follows the story of a young girl who has this guidebook of leading life the right way in this society. But does she know where to draw the line? Does she understand that life is not only about the first and last step but also the things in between?
Honor Rose is in her senior year at George H.W. Bush High School. She is brilliant, hardworking, and an avid admirer of The Handmaid’s Tale. As ambitious as Honor is, she wants to go to Harvard. She wants nothing more than to leave her small town for good. Harvard is Honor’s only chance of fulfilling her plans. But Honor is not the only person at her high school who would make a good fit at Harvard. She is in the top 4 but wants to be top 1. For that to happen, Honor might have to do things that will brand her as an emotionally detached person. She had no problem with it until she got close to Michael Dipnicky.
Michael Dipnicky is your textbook ‘nerd’ with no friends, zero social presence, and good grades. He is probably Honor’s biggest competitor in the race for Harvard, and like every cliché story, he falls for her. For Honor, Michael is nothing but prey. But there is more to Michael than it meets the eye. So does the nerd get the cool girl? More importantly, does being a nerd make Michael a ‘good guy’?
Honor Society is not a star-studded movie, but it features a lot of talented actors. Angourie Rice, who made her debut in 2013 with These Final Hours, plays the role of Honor Rose. Over the years, Rice has featured in many other productions, including Marvel’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: No Way Home. Rice must have had a bit of time to get used to the character of Honor, as it is much different from other characters she had played before. I think the issue in the movie was not Rice’s performance but her character’s lack of depth. It seemed there was nothing much for Rice to do.
Gaten Matarazzo plays Michael Dipnicky in this coming-of-age comedy movie. As far as performance is concerned, Gaten played the part of a dorky, introverted kid smoothly. Everyone recognizes Gaten from his break-out performance in Stranger Things, one of the biggest streaming hits of the last decade. But his past accolades did not seem to put any pressure on him. On the contrary, he looked charming in this role.
The plot of the movie is simple. Hence, it is easier for the audience to grasp all the content. The film did not drag on as the run time was perfect. Although the movie falls under the comedy genre, there are no such scenes that will make you laugh out loud- you are more likely to smile.
I think the movie intended to break stereotypes of this kind of film but did the opposite by using more clichés.
There is a queer character, a talented recluse, a drama club, and some loud sidekicks. The makers of the movie did try to incorporate some kind of twist in the film. However, you will probably have figured it out before the scenes reveal it. The writers could have done better or should have just skipped it. The presence of the plot twist made the ending much more banal.
The movie wasn’t able to portray its intention. Did it want to make people laugh or convey a message? If it’s the former, there weren’t enough elements. Also, the movie may have lost its charm due to the presence of the character Mr. Calvin. you may remember Christopher Charles Mintz-Plasse from Superbad; he plays the high school headmaster. Calvin is Honor’s ticket to get into Harvard, and Calvin has an affinity toward Honor. Calvin ruined the ambiance of the movie because there was no conclusion to his character.
Honor Society is the kind of movie to watch when you are in the mood for something light. and want a break from thrillers or emotional roller coasters. However, you cannot expect much from it. There are many aspects of the film that will make you groan. But then again, no one claimed that it was a genius story.
I think despite all the extra flavors, the film intended to show a different side of teenagers. Maybe the movie wanted to say that teens may be boisterous, competitive, confused, and many other things, but they can also be emotionally mature when the time comes. Teens have this indomitable spirit in them that you can see in Honor Rose. She never questioned her potential. No one can accuse teens of not being focused after they watch honor’s story in this movie.
The movie creates a comfortable space for you. Whether you are a parent or a child, you can relate to many things in the film. There are instances where you can see yourself in Honor or Gaten or Kennedy. The movie incorporated many topics such as LGBTQ+, parenting, teenage romance, and others. I think they couldn’t make the main plot interesting while juggling so many elements. But do you remember the question I asked at the beginning? If you did or do wonder about your teenage years after watching this movie, I think it was successful in some way.