The Edge of Seventeen (2016), directed by Kelly Fremon Craig

Adolescence is difficult enough to navigate, but when you are already an anxious and awkward kid and you lose your Dad – who was your rock – it goes beyond difficult to almost impossible. Nadine’s best friend Krista is the only one who keeps her close to sane, so when Krista hooks up with her despised jock brother Darien, her world collapses. Painful and funny, Hailee Steinfield is outstanding as Nadine, bringing pathos and laughter to the potentially annoying teen and eliciting sympathy despite her sometimes terrible decisions. Woody Harrelson is great as an acerbic but supportive teacher. Kyra Sedgwick struggles to find balance in the unsympathetic character of Nadine’s unstable mother. This small-budget film by a first-time director has a killer soundtrack and a satisfying story arc that delivers an emotional punch.