Fresh
Chicago indie Stephen Cone took a quantum leap forward with this moving 2011 drama about a Christian youth group in small-town South Carolina.
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader
The Wise Kids
A Story of Faith, Sexuality, Love and Friendship.
2011 · 1h 31m · NOT RATED
Drama
Directed by
Stephen Cone
Overview
A vivid, dynamic Southern coming-of-age drama, takes place in the transitional space between high school and college, when life seems to be all questions and no answers, and the future is scarily wide open. Set in and around a Charleston, SC Baptist church, weaving through this ensemble piece are three main characters - Brea, an introspective pastor's daughter experiencing debilitating doubt, the hyperactive Laura, Brea's best friend and a devout believer, and Tim, the open-hearted son of a single father, confronting his homosexuality for the first time. Tensions and buried feelings abound, as colleges are chosen and adults behave badly, as Brea, Laura and Tim attempt to hang onto what they have, all the while yearning to break free.
Director and cast
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
100%
Tomatometer
Fresh
"The Wise Kids" is a guileless exploration of the growing pains of sheltered innocents whose reticence and sincerity evoke 1950s small-town values.
Stephen Holden, New York Times
Fresh
[Flaws are] ultimately overshadowed by Cone's excellent young actors, particularly Torem, burrowing deeply into her character's zealotry and anguish about being left behind.
Melissa Anderson, Village Voice
Fresh
Cone's feature is among the best of a recent spate of dramas observing American Christian life.
Robert Koehler, Variety
Fresh
Honest, observant, and subtle.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
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