‘Terri’ is a sweet, yet unfulfilling, coming-of-age tale

Not much happens in ‘Terri,’ director Azazel Jacobs’ coming-of-age story about an overweight teenager dealing with the pressures of high school. For indie lovers, that’s probably welcome news. The plot-less action allows the story to focus almost solely on the characters and their gradual progression. For others, the 105-minute flick will feel too experimental, as if the filmmaker is toying with an idea, but is unable to fully implement his vision.

Newcomer Jacob Wysocki plays the title character, a loner with a penchant for killing mice in his attic and wearing pajamas to school. Terri is mercilessly picked on by his classmates, with a few of them making reference to his “large breasts” and strange ways.

Home life is no better, but at least it’s peaceful. His parents are gone (their absence is never explained or explored), so he lives with his uncle James (Creed Bratton of ‘The Office’), an older man who seems to be suffering from early stages of dementia. Taking care of his uncle is Terri’s only real purpose in life; otherwise, he’s content floating around and showing up late for class. He has no artistic ambitions and no interest in connecting with fellow wallflowers. He’s wonderfully unclassifiable, and this makes him a compelling character for the silver screen. It’s rare when a creation like Terri is able to hold court over a movie.

The only respite from the monotony of his existence comes in the form of Mr. Fitzgerald (John C. Reilly), the high school’s often-funny and always-caring principal. He takes Terri on as his pet project, deciding to meet with the delinquent student every Monday. Sometimes the two talk about meaningless subjects; other times, they talk about weighty issues and the feelings one encounters as an outcast in the jungles of the hallway.

The relationship between Terri and Mr. Fitzgerald is the movie’s most interesting aspect. In this principal character, this wayward teenager finds both a father figure and older brother. In their conversations, the two build a friendship built on loyalty and respect, two qualities that Terri is unable to garner in the classroom. Of course, when their relationship is tested (as it inevitably needed to be), the hurt for Terri cuts much deeper than the teasing from his fellow teens.

There are side story lines concerning Chad (Bridger Zadina), a troublemaker at school who pulls his hair out, and Heather (Olivia Crocicchia), a popular girl caught in a sexual act in the classroom. These are semi-engaging characters, but Patrick Dewitt’s script never investigates them enough. Plus, it probably wouldn’t have mattered much. The movie says all that it needs to say with those special talks between Terri and Mr. Fitzgerald.

Wysocki offers a touching performance, while Reilly is his usual skillful self. They both tone down their line deliveries to make everything feel more realistic and muted. This is not high school according to John Hughes. Jacobs and company are trying to accurately tell the tale of this teenager’s life, free of cliches and contrivances. He succeeds, even if the final result is so realistic it proves somewhat dull.

By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com

• Terri

• 2011

• Directed by Azazel Jacobs

• Written by Patrick Dewitt; based on a story by Dewitt and Jacobs

• Starring Jacob Wysocki, John C. Reilly, Bridger Zadina, Creed Bratton and Olivia Croccicchia

• Running time: 105 minutes

• Rated R for sexual content, language and some alcohol and drug use — all involving teens

• Rating: