In The Art of Getting By, that one little push is a girl named Sally (Emma Roberts). While most people in George's high school are focused on their senior year and college, George has managed to find a way to get by with the barest amount of work. Why bother with math homework, or school for that matter, when we're all going to die one day? Rather than find motivation to finish high school, George would rather drift into his own dark, gloomy delusions.
George's life view takes a massive shift when he meets Sally, the most popular girl in school, who decides to strike up a conversation after George saves her from possible suspension. Though Sally has her own problems, she manages to forge a friendship with George.
Although it follows a slightly different pacing and set-up, The Art of Getting By is very much a romantic comedy. It looks different and sounds different, but once it moves past the initial set-up, it can't help but to wrap things up in an all too Hollywood fashion. Not that falling back to clichés is a bad thing, but considering the opening push, I was a little disappointed to see the film suddenly shift into a story we've all seen before, and told in better ways.
The real heart of the movie is George and Sally's relationship, and when the two are the main focus, the film really soars. Freddie Highmore is exceptional, but Emma Roberts is a bit of a scene-stealer. I'll admit to a slight crush, but I loved every scene she was in, including a diner scene that left me a bit hot under the collar. The thing is, the scene is little more than a word of dialogue and a look with nothing overtly sexual about it. I'm not saying she's the type of character you'll root for (neither are, really), but it's hard to not like the duo and want the best for them.
Once the film hits the mid-way point, things begin to fall apart. In building a strong relationship between George and Sally, other characters are just introduced and just fade into the background. Once they're called up in the third act, you know so little about them, the interest level drops.
Although I liked the main characters, there are a couple of all too convenient character shifts. George goes from social outcast to a key member of Sally's inner circle within the span of an edit. Some of the jumps are understandable, but others shortchange minor characters, hurting the movie in the end. I could have done with fewer "artistic" shots and less of George moping around in bed and more development of the supporting cast.
The video transfer is really good, though there are a few struggles with color balance. Most of the film sticks to muted grays and blues, which is fine for the film's mood. When the film goes for brighter moments, there are issues. Some scenes are too bright and soft. The added film grain helps tone things down in backgrounds, but can't help the skin tones. Everyone looks brighter than they should, especially Emma Roberts, who practically glows in some scenes.
The Blu-ray version ships with a few quick, but interesting features. The two heavy hitters are the included commentary track with Writer/ Director Gavin Wiesen and a lengthy "HBO First Look." Weisen's commentary doesn't offer anything revolutionary, but is worth a listen, if only for the background information. The "HBO First Look" section is split across a few sections, each detailing different aspects of the film, including the initial inspiration, writing and directing and importance of location. The final part also gets its own feature, "New York Slice of Life," which covers most of the information found in the "HBO" feature.
There's also a short interview section with Emma Roberts, Freddie Highmore and Gavin Wiesen discussing the idea of young love and how the film is mostly about what students go through during their senior year in high school. Highmore discusses some of the same topics during the "In Character" section.
I did like that, throughout all of the extras, Wiesen shows an unusual amount of enthusiasm for the film. It's kind of rare to see this level of passion for a film. It's pretty clear from the start that his was a personal story, which is something I have to admire.
The Art of Getting By isn't a bad movie by any stretch. There are issues - particularly toward the end -- but there are enough interesting moving parts to keep you going until the end. I can't recommend a purchase unless you have a particular affinity towards either Emma Roberts or Freddie Highmore, but it is a great rental.
