The Bryce is alright: The young stars of Flipped

By Zhao Kun

Already having a well-known coming-of-age story (1986's Stand by Me) on his résumé, 64-year-old director Rob Reiner just can't get enough of the teen romance genre. His latest work Flipped once again exhibits his insight into the mentalities of teenage lovers.

Juli and Bryce live across the street from each other, growing up from second grade to junior high. Juli (Madeline Caroll) flips the moment she meets Bryce (Callan McAuliffe). But Bryce, as snobbish as his bourgeoisie dad, finds every possible way to escape the forthright courtship from Juli, whose family is one notch lower in the economic ladder than his. The chase is reversed as they enter puberty, although by then Juli no longer has a crush on the boy "with dazzling eyes".

The movie observes the evolving relationship in incidents that never involve too much conflict but always leave you feeling warm.

For most of the film, Juli and Bryce take turns narrating the story in scenes that are played twice. The dual perspectives illustrate their relationship with understanding in this adolescent battle of the sexes. But the she-said and he-said format becomes excessive and predictable after it pops up in almost every encounter. And some of the voice over narration sounds as if it's being spoken by an adult.

Madeline Caroll, as the spunky Juli, is adorable. Callan McAuliffe, who plays Bryce, is also likable, even though his cowardice and selfishness constantly remind you of his cocky father and of how parents shape their children.

Set in the Michigan suburbia of 1950s, the movie weaves a nostalgic picture of small-town life. Although the nostalgia works less on Chinese viewers because of cultural differences, this American flick could actually mean more for us. Flipped also educates, showing how American parents handle teen romances that often lead to physical punishment in Chinese families. Those pangs of true love just hit every one all of a sudden. It comes naturally. Suppression is against human nature.

On my 1 to 10 movie scale, I give Flipped a flippin' seven.