Edge of Everything movie storyline. Abby, a teenager on the cusp of turning 15, is at a delicate moment in her life, straddling the line between childhood and adulthood. When her mother dies, she is forced to move in with her father and his younger girlfriend. Feeling alone in the world and struggling to process her loss, she explores new personas, drugs and sexual experiences that she thinks will empower her and create a sense of control. In a collision between new friendships, old ones and her relationship with her distant father, Abby fights to find her footing in her new reality.
Edge of Everything is an American drama and coming of age film directed by Sophia Sabella and Pablo Feldman and starring Sierra McCormick, Jason Butler Harner, Ryan Simpkins, Emily Robinson, Dominique Gayle, Nadezhda Amé, Sabina Friedman-Seitz, Anthony Del Negro, Drew Scheid and Hannah Aniela. The screenplay was written by Sophia Sabella and Pablo Feldman.
Film Review for Edge of Everything
A film doesn’t need to have gruesome special effects, otherworldly demons and exotic incantations to work as a horror movie. Edge of Everything crafts an effective nightmare with a familiar coming-of-age formula, a raw depiction of teen peer pressure and an alarming reflection of a licentious youth culture that can’t seem to shake toxic masculinity no matter how “woke” it appears.
Edge of Everything doesn’t reinvent the wheel of teen rebellion, but it does slide viscerally into the driver’s seat. You’d have to go back to 2003’s Thirteen to find as compelling an example of young angst as this feature co-written and co-directed by Pablo Feldman and Sophia Sabella.
The story is set in the valley of the shadow of death, or, to be more specific, Mill Valley, a wealthy San Francisco suburb. Abby (Sierra McCormick) has just lost her mother, and she is resentfully living with her long-estranged father, David (Jason Butler Harner), and his much younger girlfriend, Leslie (Sabina Friedman-Seitz). David is trying to make the transition smooth for Abby, but she isn’t impressed, and she has nothing but contempt for Leslie.
Abby, who’s about to turn 15, does have a support system – three friends who have grown up with her – but the status quo isn’t cutting it for her. Restless, and keenly aware of how quickly life can change, Abby looks for someone who shares her “who cares?” attitude.
She’s drawn to Caroline (Ryan Simkins), an older girl whose indifferent parents don’t hold her accountable for anything. Abby begins to pick up Caroline’s vices, causing contention with her lifelong friends and testing David’s determination to be a good parent.
Edge of Everything doesn’t preach, and it’s not really a cautionary tale. Abby and her friends all are aware of the consequences of smoking, drinking, using drugs and engaging in sexual activities, and until now they’ve been content to follow the prudent path. They don’t realize that there are already cracks in the walls of their protected lives.
Co-director/writers Pablo Feldman and Sophia Sabella provide a solid script that’s realistic in both broad strokes and subtle details. The dialogue is particularly impressive in its honesty. The writers capture the pettiness and the truth, the competition and the loyalty within the circle of friends and the wider population of the story.
There aren’t many weak links in the cast, but McCormick stands head and shoulders above the rest of the ensemble. A petite young woman several years older than her character, she’s thoroughly convincing as a 14-/15-year-old, delivering the pendulum swings appropriate to a teenager trying to find herself.
There’s no reason for a sequel to be made, but McCormick gains the audience’s empathy, if not always their sympathy. It’s interesting to think about how Abby’s life could turn out, but to borrow an old yearbook sentiment, we “wish her well in all her future endeavors.”
Edge of Everything (2023)
Directed by: Sophia Sabella, Pablo Feldman
Starring: Sierra McCormick, Jason Butler Harner, Ryan Simpkins, Emily Robinson, Dominique Gayle, Nadezhda Amé, Sabina Friedman-Seitz, Anthony Del Negro, Drew Scheid, Hannah Aniela
Screenplay by: Sophia Sabella, Pablo Feldman
Production Design by: Sara Alix
Cinematography by: Scott Ray
Film Editing by: Benjamin Shearn
Costume Design by: Ashley Munns
Art Direction by: Kat VanCleave
Music by: Marc E. Bassy
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Lightyear Entertainment (United States)
Release Date: June 25, 2023
Views: 13
