Wyrm confesses, "I just don't want to be alone." This is the fear of all adolescents...and heck, most people.

This film is a wonderful peek into the lives of middle-schoolers struggling to connect under the pressures of developing emotions and a limited understanding of world around them. But all done through dark, biting humor and quirky situations. Absent (emotionally and physically) parents, turbulent sibling relationships, cruel hate mail and the added pressure of your first kiss (further complicated by a "Scarlet Letter"-like collar) are all obstructions to navigating the difficult and trying transition to adulthood.

The script is tight, funny and honest. There is no Aaron Sorkin witty dialogue or overly precocious teens...these feel like real middle-schoolers having real conversations and struggling with real problems. Christopher Winterbauer shows he's adept at both directing and writing and proves he has not forgotten the realities of growing up. He doesn't look back through rose-colored glasses or mire us in sappy nostalgia but presents us with an honest and humorous record of a sometimes-painful adolescence.

I rented this on Amazon the other day and it was a very good watch. Perfect for a quiet night in. It hit really good notes of weird/quirky while also having a decent bit of depth and intensity. I came away feeling like it was a sillier style of The Squid and the Whale.

I had no idea who Theo Taplitz was before I watched this, but good grief did he knock this role out of the park! I'm someone who enjoys individual performances more than the actual movies themselves, and he really stood out.

His character is your typical awkward outcast teen, but he brings a veteran-like emotional and sometimes devastating aspect to the character that helps you get inside of his head and relate to what he is going through.

100% recommend for anyone who likes these quirky coming-of-age type movies!