The Growing Youth is a messy, charming relic

If you're looking for a tight, logical plot, keep walking. The Growing Youth is the kind of movie that assumes everyone in the room has too much time on their hands and even more hormones.

It’s worth a watch if you like old-school melodrama and school-setting chaos. If you hate watching adults act like teenagers—or teenagers act like they’re in a Greek tragedy—you’re gonna have a bad time. 🙄

The whole setup is ridiculous. Three girls walk into an all-boys school and the place basically combusts. I couldn't stop looking at the background actors in the hallway scenes; half of them look like they're just waiting for the lunch bell to ring instead of reacting to the, uh, dramatic tension.

There's this one moment where a teacher and a student are both pining after the same girl, and it’s just awkward. Not 'good' awkward. Just 'I need to check my phone' awkward. It’s wild how the movie treats this like it’s completely normal behavior for a faculty member.

Compared to something like The Devil's Apple Tree, this feels way more contained, maybe even a little trapped. It doesn't have that sweeping scope, but it has these tiny, weirdly specific facial expressions that feel more human than half the stuff coming out today.

I caught myself noticing the lighting in the library scenes. It’s so bright it’s almost offensive. It makes the 'secret' longing feel way too exposed, like they’re all standing on a stage rather than hiding in a school.

The pacing is all over the place. Sometimes it’s a crawl, and then suddenly, there's a big emotional blow-up that comes out of nowhere. It’s like the editor just gave up halfway through a reel.

Honestly? I liked it. It’s not perfect, and it certainly isn't The Model, but it has this strange, stubborn heart. You can feel the cast trying to make the dialogue sound heavy, even when it’s just about exams or who's sitting next to whom.

• That one scene with the chalkboard—I swear the chalk isn't even touching the board.
• The uniforms are way too stiff. Nobody looks comfortable.
• I wanted more out of the exam subplot, but the movie clearly didn't care about that either.

It’s a dusty, slightly odd little time capsule. Don't go in expecting a lesson in cinema. Just go in for the weird vibes and the way they stare at each other. 🎞️