Sundance ’13: ‘The Spectacular Now’ is Sweet, Honest & Outstanding

When it comes to Sundance films, I’m admittedly partial to coming-of-age dramas. Many of them that have premiered here over the years I’ve fallen in love with, but as we get new coming-of-age films every year, the stories have to evolve and stay unique in order to remain fresh. The latest outstanding, memorable, fall-in-love-with coming-of-age drama of Sundance 2013 is The Spectacular Now, directed by James Ponsoldt of Smashed from last year’s Sundance, written by Michael H. Weber and Scott Neustadter of 500 Days of Summer, adapting from Tim Tharp’s novel. Ponsoldt is easily one of my favorite up-and-coming directors. Ponsoldt’s The Spectacular Now is a deeply layered, indie romantic comedy, coming-of-age alcoholism story all wrapped up in one. It’s sweet, it’s endearing, it’s charming, it’s emotional, it’s moving, it’s honest, it’s brilliant, it’s thoughtful. It’s about so much more than what it shows on the surface, and is just as …