Except for a promising turn by a rising young star, "Nearing Grace" is about as flat-footed as the coming-of-age movie gets. It's based on a 1979 novel by Scott Sommer, but even the flavorful Disco Decade setting can't help it.
High-school senior Henry Nearing (Gregory Smith) could be forgiven for doubting that he will make it to graduation. His mother died six months earlier, and his father (well-played as always by David Morse) has maintained a state of drunken self-pity ever since.
Romantic prospects are complicated. Henry's best friend is Merna (Ashley Johnson), a nice girl-next-door type. Every single person who sees this movie will know that Henry and Merna are perfect for each other. It just takes Henry a long time to realize this.
Instead, he becomes entranced by school vixen Grace (Jordana Brewster, "The Fast and the Furious"), who is supposed to be alluring but comes off as vapid and dull. (And incidentally, there's no way this character would be hip enough to have Velvet Underground and Nick Drake albums in her record collection.)
Even given the obvious outcome of this story, "Nearing Grace" could have been an enjoyable turn through familiar territory. But director Rick Rosenthal (who did "Bad Boys" years ago) has no touch for the tender joys of teenage angst, and the movie simply plods from one scene to the next.
The '70s vibe is almost non-existent, except for a few expected musical cues. Maybe it's the low-budget restrictions, but you could watch this movie for a long time (as I did) before realizing it is supposed to be set in 1978.
Ashley Johnson, who played Mel Gibson's daughter in "What Women Want," has a fresh quality that should serve her well in the transition from child roles to grown-up parts.
But the best thing about the film is Gregory Smith, an actor who also boasts a turn as Mel Gibson's kid (in "The Patriot"). A regular on the TV show "Everwood," Smith has the kind of open face that lets you see what he's thinking. A better movie will make this kid a star.
Ashley Johnson and Gregory Smith star in "Nearing Grace."
