Try Seventeen (2002)

Try Seventeen has the rare, bruised-sweet charm of a coming-of-age story that actually feels lived-in: a young man playacting at adulthood in a ramshackle boarding house where every neighbor seems to be auditioning for their own messy reinvention. Elijah Wood gives Jones a nervy sincerity that makes his romantic tug-of-war less about “who will he choose” than about who he’s becoming, while Franka Potente brings a grounded, quietly electric presence and Mandy Moore adds a bright, performative spark that keeps the tone buoyant even when reality bites. The movie drifts between witty, offbeat comedy and tender melancholy, with a slightly dreamy, fantasy-tinged vibe that captures how being seventeen can feel like living inside your own head. It’s not for everyone—its indie looseness and R-rated frankness won’t satisfy viewers craving a slick, plot-heavy rom-com—but if you like character-driven stories about growing up sideways, it’s an easy film to fall for.

Try Seventeen is aiming for a quirky, coming-of-age romantic dramedy about a restless teen playing at adulthood while juggling two very different women and his own writerly fantasies. The problem is it often feels like it’s borrowing indie “eccentric” vibes without earning them, with a protagonist who can come off more smug than searching and relationship beats that land as shallow rather than emotionally messy. The tone wobbles between whimsical daydreaming and real-life consequences, so when the story tries to get serious, it can feel like it’s finally arriving at a movie that never fully got built. If you’re mostly here for Elijah Wood’s earnestness and a low-stakes early-2000s indie mood, there are pleasant moments, but if you want sharp writing, believable romance, or meaningful growth, this one may test your patience.