The Adventures of Sebastian Cole

The Adventures of Sebastian Cole

The movie “The Adventures of Sebastian Cole” is a coming of age story that provides a fresh take on some issues faced by sensitive teenagers. Many adolescents don’t get along with their stepdad but few have to deal with his decision to become a woman. Movies rarely feature a teenager who needs direction and has a parent willing to steer them in the right way; most filmic adolescents’ fathers are absent, dull, or harsh, whereas Sebastian’s father is wise and caring when he’s Hank and later Henrietta.

Sebastian (played by Adrian Grenier) is an inwardly directed, messed-up member from within an upper-class family that exhibits signs of dysfunctionality. He aspires to be an author but lacks confidence so much that he dumps girls whenever they begin liking him for real. We can tell how muddled up his life truly is based off one scene early into the picture: during a holiday feast with relatives both divorced parents included alongside new partners in order not disrupt what their kids need; stability it quickly becomes apparent these kinds of gatherings only serve as opportunities for children who really just want nothing more than escape from underneath them tables anyway.

His mother Joan (Margaret Colin) is attractive looking, intelligent British lady who tends drink heavily all time while being married to floppy haired brute named Hank (Clark Gregg). Sebastian’s architect dad Hartley (John Shea) hardly says anything throughout this movie because he has got himself another wife this time Asian-American who seems basically non-existent since she never talks or does anything at all for matter. Also there’s Sebastian’s sister Jessica (Marni Lustig), dating biker guy longing hop onto backseat behind him so they can ride off into distance together forevermore.

Not long after awkward gathering above occurs among estranged relatives of protagonist, Hank calls together spouse and her kids before calmly revealing his intention become female. This news doesn’t sit well with anyone. Jessica flees on boyfriend’s bike enrolls at Stanford because it’s pretty much the farthest possible point away from Duchess County in New York State where they live; meanwhile Sebastian sits there stunned wordlessly upon learning such unexpected information about stepfather he thought knew everything concerning him already.

Hank still wants stay married Joan but she disagrees moves back England when things get worse drinks even more heavily, so eventually Sebastian ends up staying with his one true parent who cares for him most out all two dads that being strict rule-setting traditionalist Hank.

This film could’ve easily taken shape as another predictable sitcom-like tale detailing what happens when you grow up having transsexual person serve as your father figure. However, instead taking cheap shots for laughs, “The Adventures Of” opts not go this route and gets progressively smarter/more insightful until finally captivating us purely based on people-to-people level alone: these are individuals worth meeting.

Hank/Henrietta Clark Gregg performance is single-handedly greatest thing about overall movie itself hands down period end stop no question ask told or ifs etcetera et cetera etcetera!!!!!! Because no matter how many times he changes clothes or does something funny with hair (which by way never happens), honestly just look like the best man ever wearing lady clothes plain simple folks.

But here comes kicker: there’s absolutely none those phony girly twitches where dudes try act feminine order gain sympathy points either!!! So deep within heart knows she woman should always remain honest towards herself regardless circumstances surrounding situation might arise along way towards becoming fully self-realized individual!!! Consequently during certain point were somebody dishonor honor personage by doing violence’s against them him; thus making inquiry into subject regards combat training received over years would seem pretty perfect opportunity present itself right then and there if you ask me!

Henrietta’s arrival does not sit well with Sebastian, who points the finger at his stepfather: “We would all be together and happy if you hadn’t been so selfish and thought only of yourself. Everything was fine before.” But it wasn’t. The mother, Joan, was fading into drunken passivity. And then father No. 1 (and sperm donor), Hartley (a famous architect), has a little talk with his son: “If you’re serious about being a writer, you’ve got to sacrifice the people you love to your work.” It seems pretty clear that’s what he did.

Before now I had never heard of Adrian Grenier, who plays Sebastian. At first he appears to be just another movie hunk, but there are depths and quiet notes in his performance, and by the end of the film he has created a complex character. His Sebastian is uncertain about himself, without goals, afraid of emotional involvement yet with a certain cocky daring; faced with having to spend another year in school because of a missing P.E. requirement, he fakes proficiency at karate.

His relationship with a girl his age is more like real life than the simplified soap opera romances we often get in teenage movies. They’re both uncertain about their emerging sexuality; she likes him, finds an indirect way to let him know that and has to wait a year for the lesson to take. And because he likes her too much, he cuts off communication why do guys do that? thus prompting her suicide attempt. Girls have been asking this question for centuries.

Written and directed by Tod Williams (“The Adventures of Sebastian Cole”), from a novel by John Irving (“The World According to Garp,” “Simon Birch”), “A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries” reminds us somewhat of those two films about children emerging from unconventional families: James Jones’ daughter Kaylie’s memoir was made into a movie called “A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries” (1998).

That one showed a happy family. This one starts from an unhappy family, but Hank/Henrietta makes it all right by being willing to invest time and trouble in caring for him/her, which lightens the proceedings considerably in case I’ve made this movie sound too odd. It isn’t: A good kid can survive a lot and turn out OK, despite everything.

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