119. Soundtrack To Sixteen; movie review

SOUNDTRACK TO SIXTEEN
Cert 15
84 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong language

I have had a recurring dream for most of my life that I turn up to an exam completely unprepared.
Indeed, in some cases, I haven't even been to any of the lessons during the academic year.
Therefore, a shudder went down my spine when Ben (James Calloway) and Maisy (Scarlett Marshall) were having last-minute heebie-jeebies over their A levels during Soundtrack To Sixteen.
Actually, much of Hillary Shakespeare's film prompted cold sweats because it evoked so many uncomfortable memories of schooldays.
Shakespeare captures teen angst with scary accuracy portraying both central players as trying to find themselves and making a mess of it.
They care about studying for A levels but Ben is sideswiped by how much harder he is finding them than GCSEs.
Meanwhile, although she is finding schoolwork easier than Ben, Maisy is bottom of the class when it comes to relationships and social situations.
She is certainly not stupid but cannot stop herself from saying the wrong thing and making duff friendship group decisions.
And she is certainly not ugly but, much to her own dismay and everyone else's hilarity, she has never been kissed.
Soundtrack To Sixteen is another low-budget independent British movie which punches above its weight - largely thanks to the spot-on observations of writers Hillary and Anna-Elizabeth Shakespeare.
For example, they prod reminders of teenage infatuation through Maisy's wide-eyed and obviously hopeless ambition to get together with a lad who is obviously unsuitable and actually not nearly as nice as she wants him to be.
It reminded me of a number of times between 12 and 15 that I lost my heart to girls who barely knew I existed.
Maisy and Ben are self-conscious and self-critical - they want, like many of us did and do, to be like the super confident kids who have lots of friends of both sexes.
They try hard to be part of the social set but are desperately awkward and have acute foot-in-mouth affliction.
You would think it would be great news if they found each other but, when they do, they still manage to mess things up.
Of course, it is a mousse-light romantic comedy so it is obvious things will turn out all right in the end when they don't in real life.

Nevertheless, I was quite taken with the concept and much of the execution of Soundtrack To Sixteen.

Reasons to watch: Prompts memories of youth
Reasons to avoid: A tad stilted at times

Laughs: Three
Jumps: None
Vomit: Yes
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7/10

Did you know? At 16, people can; Get married or register a civil partnership with consent; Drive a moped or invalid carriage; Consent to sexual activity with others aged 16 and over; Drink wine/beer with a meal if accompanied by someone over 18; Get a National Insurance number; Join a trade union; Work full-time if they have left school; Be paid national minimum wage for 16/17-year-olds; Join the Armed Forces with parental consent; Change name by deed poll; Leave home with or without parental consent; Choose a GP; Consent to medical treatment; Buy premium bonds; Pilot a glider; Buy a lottery ticket; Register as a blood donor; Apply for a passport without parental consent.

The final word. Hillary Shakespeare: "Sadly, we got very unlucky with timing and only managed one more screening after one premiere before we had to call it off because of COVID-19. Our VOD release will be on the 4th of May so we have that to look forward to and once cinemas re-open we plan on doing a few more screenings then as well to give more people the chance to see it on the big screen." OC Movie Reviews

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