Film Review: "2 Cool 2 Be 4Gotten"

I've seen a lot of coming-of-age films over the years, mostly because I had the time to. And it's a fun genre, filled with humor and insight on the teenage mindset--and sometimes devastatingly tragic conclusions that just break your heart a bit (like a supposedly stupid sex comedy "Last American Virgin" ending on such a downer). Some of cinema's most enduring images come from the genre, whether it's John Bender's raised fist, or Ferris Bueller's smug face, or apple pies being f***ed by an idiot (although, honestly, I remember the "At band camp lines better).

In my head, though, the final scene of "2 Cool 2 Be 4Gotten" belongs there in that pantheon. Etched in my head forever is that ending, seeping in ambiguity, raised from the simplicity of its imagery by the film that went before it, that creates conversation on its meaning, as well as refusing to resolve the tension the movie built up in its honest bid to be eternally tattooed in the memories of any viewer lucky enough to see it.

It works.

"2 Cool 2 Be 4Gotten" can be described as coming-of-age story, but that lacks the nuance necessary to describe the insanity that this movie veers towards to. For example, this movie could also be aptly described as angry political commentary on the American bases in Subic and Clark post-kick-out, the Philippines left to deal with the culture of sex and twisted Americana that developed in the area at the time.

This film could also be described as a thriller whose goals are to expound upon the spitting entitlement of white Americans in the face of an environment they deem uncivilized. And this could also be seen as a movie about a sexual awakening that challenges the preconceptions of toxic masculinity and preconceived gender and societal roles.

Imagine all those themes and genres inside one film, and it'd be a heck of a good one if it has the patience, skill, and intelligence to balance it all.

...It is a good film. No, scratch that, it's a great film, one that unflinchingly shows the lives of these characters and seeks the story's conclusion to the very bitter end. It doesn't just follow tropes and formulas; rather, it twists and turns these societal expectations on what a teen coming-of-age film should be, and creates a compelling film in the process.

The style that this film seems to try for is more of David Fincher, what with the muted but heavily contrasting colors, the soundtrack with the industrial rock/grunge-based soundtrack that sounds like it was produced by Trent Reznor, and the snappy monologues with the sarcasm and the arrogance.

In the three main characters, the film captures the ambivalence of youth, the time when every fresh-faced schmuck with a dream or money was game in exploring their inner souls. Nothing exemplifies this more than the party scene sometime in the middle of the movie, where the three characters get drunk on gin or some other clear alcoholic substance, and party whilst grinding electronic noise plays in the background. It is both a scene that illustrates the growth and naivety of the characters, as well as a scene that borders a bit on the ridiculous, what with the sudden appearance of party lights in the background, as well as the usage of gin, which is just a disgusting drink for sad sacks who can't be bothered to buy better booze.

There's also a scene in this film where a character jerks off in front of another character, and sinister music plays in the background as we watch the faces of these two as he masturbates. It's pretty strange, but the importance to the narrative is served because it reasserts the power dynamics between the younger brother and the tutor and it allows the third act to happen as it does. It's also the first time in the narrative where the tutor's toxic version of homosexuality, one that relies more on power dynamics than on, you know, love, actually is portrayed on screen visually.

This is not a family film, if you've noticed from the two scenes I've described. This is more for teenagers and adults, not just because of the transgressive material in the film, but also because of the message that the material is in service to. This is a movie that challenges you, that confronts your petty worldviews and asks you to question them in the name of both art and self-growth. And if you're willing to hitch through the ride, it is an absolutely rewarding experience to have.

tl;dr: "2 Cool 2 Be 4Gotten" is a challenging film that engages the viewer's minds on more than just typical teenage wasteland stuff. Worth the watch, in spite of some imagery that may pop some monocles.