DbcultAccessing Vault...
6.7/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.7/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. This Reckless Age remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, only if you have a thing for pre-code dramas or just really like seeing old people get flustered by the mere existence of young adults. If you’re looking for high-octane drama, skip it. If you like watching folks act like the world is ending because a kid bought a car, dive in.
The whole premise is basically just a 70-minute tantrum about how kids these days have no respect. Donald and Eunice are so stiff you’d think they were made of wood. Watching them try to process Bradley’s 'reckless' behavior is like watching a cat try to understand a vacuum cleaner.
It’s not as chaotic as Sunny Side Up, but it shares that same weird energy where everyone is trying so hard to seem modern. It’s funny because 'modern' back then meant something entirely different. Now it just looks like a museum exhibit.
There is this one scene where Bradley confronts his dad, and the lighting is just… a bit too moody for a conversation about money. It’s like they were filming a noir flick but forgot to tell the actors to stop being so polite.
I caught myself zoning out during the long speeches about 'moral character.' We get it, the kids are wild. Move on already. The movie is at its best when it just lets the characters be petty rather than trying to teach us some big, sweeping lesson about the youth.
It’s not a masterpiece, and I doubt I’ll ever think about it again once I close this tab. But it’s got enough charm to keep you watching if you’re doing laundry or something. Don't expect to be changed by it. Just expect to be slightly annoyed by the parents, which is probably exactly what they wanted.
Anyway, I need a coffee. My brain is still stuck in the 1930s. ☕