Palo Alto (2013)
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A group of disaffected teenagers in a California suburb navigate the complexities of lust, boredom, and self-destruction.
The story
In the Northern California city of Palo Alto, best friends Teddy and Fred are teenage stoners. Teddy is artistically inclined, but Fred constantly gets the pair into trouble with his reckless behavior. Emily has a reputation as the promiscuous girl, while April is a shy student who is teased by her classmates. The narrative follows these teenagers as they navigate their personal lives, including April's interactions with her soccer coach, Mr. B., and the complicated romantic dynamics between the core group of friends.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In Palo Alto, California, best friends Teddy and Fred are teenage stoners. Teddy is an artist, while Fred's reckless behavior often leads them into trouble. Emily is known as the promiscuous girl, and April is a shy student teased for her virginity. April begins babysitting for her soccer coach, Mr. B., who offers her a striker position in exchange. Teddy and April share unspoken feelings, but at a party, they both flirt with others; Teddy eventually shares a kiss and sexual encounter with Emily. Following a car crash where Teddy is arrested for DUI, he is placed on probation to perform community service at a library and later a nursing home. Meanwhile, Fred pursues Emily, treating her as a hookup despite her feelings for him. Mr. B and April grow closer, leading to a sexual encounter where April eventually realizes his predatory nature and breaks things off. At a final party, Emily and Fred have a violent confrontation after Fred threatens her. Teddy and April reconnect, and Teddy confesses his love for her. The film ends with Fred, injured and erratic, driving down a one-way street alone while repeating 'I'm not Bob.'
- First release year
- 2013
- Runtime (minutes)
- 100
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Gia Coppola
- Writers
- Gia Coppola · writer; James Franco · source material writer
- Cast and characters
- James Franco · Teddy; Emma Roberts · Emily; Jack Kilmer · Fred; Nat Wolff · April; Zoe Levin; Chris Messina; Keegan Allen; Val Kilmer
- Genres
- coming-of-age drama; independent; teen drama
- Themes
- Coming-of-age; Juvenile delinquency; Juvenile sexuality; Boredom; Self-destruction
- Tone and mood
- Naturalistic; Drifting; Beautiful
- Premise and plot tags
- Teen Drama; Independent Film; Coming-of-Age
- Source material / true-story basis
- 2010 short story collection Palo Alto by James Franco
- Reception
- The film received generally favorable reviews, praised for its performances and cinematography, though some critics noted a drifting plot and underdeveloped characters.
- Production trivia
- The film was shot in the Woodland Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles over 30 days.; It features Margaret Qualley in her film debut.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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