Well this was… different.
Beyond Clueless is pretty much an analysis of teen and coming-of-age movies in the form of a documentary. Well, it’s more of a dramatic reading of an essay that analyses the function and main tropes of movies of that type. Written by Charlie Lyne (who also goes by Charlie Shackleton), the movie is pieced together using archive footage of over 150 teen films including Scream, Mean Girls and The Craft to name but a few. It chiefly looks at the “soul” of the teen film, what their connecting themes are, and why they matter.
Man, how have I never noticed how great Fairuza Balk’s voice is before?! I miss her. For context, Balk narrates the documentary rather than Lyne/Shackleton doing so himself, and it’s a really nice tie-in to the action on screen. The film begins with The Craft – which is of course what Balk is most known for – and it’s a really nice touch to ensure that the film comes full circle.
As I’ve said previously, when it comes down to it, this film is just a reading of an essay that briefs the viewer on the formula of “the teen movie”. However, it’s visually very well compiled and uses both mainstream and obscure but always well-suited clips to good use. Even more impressive, the writer/director also edited it himself from his own bedroom which must be fifty times more difficult than having a studio to edit in. Shackleton tackles – as we’ve established – the editing of almost 200 films here which is no mean feat. You have to give him credit for what must have been a labour of love in order for him to go so deep on this subject.
There’s nothing particularly complex about the observations and connections made between movies displayed here, but I suppose it would be a good place to start if you wanted to learn more about the less superficial parts of teen films. It mirrors the films it critiques in that way; Beyond Clueless seems pretty superficial but there’s at least something more interesting going on beneath the surface. Whether or not Shackleton’s ideas are really rooted in truth remains to be seen, but his analysis is interesting to say the least.
If nothing else, it was just really fun for me to re-visit young adult movies from years gone by. Personally, I’d argue that barring Booksmart, there’s not been a good quality, old-fashioned teen movie since Mean Girls, so watching this was a blast from the past and a huge nostalgia boost in the truest sense of the word.
Not bad at all from a relatively young filmmaker, and although there’s nothing hidden in it that you won’t already know, it’s a good effort at consolidating a lot of similar movies in one place.
One should think twice before labelling Beyond Clueless as a ‘documentary’, but it works as a comprehensive thesis nevertheless.
Beyond Clueless is available to stream on MUBI in the UK.
TQR Category Ratings:
Performance: n/a
Cinematography: 
Soundtrack:
Costume & Set Design: n/a
Plot:
Overall Rating:
The Quayside Review 