Teen Spirit is Max Minghella’s directorial debut—he also wrote the script—and the film is a bit on the hackneyed side as it tells the story of a young girl’s rise to fame as a singer via a televised talent show.
What makes it all rather watchable is Elle Fanning as that girl, giving the talented actress a nice opportunity to show off an impressive singing voice. Fanning belts out songs by Tegan and Sara, Annie Lennox and Sigrid with refined assurance, making one believe she might actually win a TV talent show if she chose to compete.
The story around those singing moments is a little weird as Violet (Fanning), a Polish girl living in England, enlists the help of a former Russian opera star (Zlatko Buric) to be her manager. She makes it through the ranks despite little confidence in herself. It all has a Flashdance feel, although Violet is a waitress and not a welder.
You will forgive the cookie-cutter plot each time Fanning takes the stage and sings her heart out. She’s the real deal.
Teen Spirit is available via online sources including iTunes and Amazon.com.