My review was written in September 1982 after a New York Film Festival screening.
"Coming of Age" is a well-meaning but unenlightening documentary covering "encounter group" sessions of counselors and teenagers at summer camp interacting on issues of racial and sexual stereotyping. Competently shot, picture's subject matter and lack of insight limit its audience to social workers and educators.
Faulty premise is that recording "group therapy"-style sessions on film will be of use or interest to others. Even if one buys the trendy "express your true feelings" and other forms of openness stressed by the peppy counselors on screen, there's no substitute for the face-to-face encounters being promoted here. In watching the film one can empathize, but there is no give and take.
The production team of Dennis Hicks, Josh Hanig and Catherine Coulson use their cinema verite cameras to observe the kids before, during and after the encounter sessions. It is mainly the minorities, blacks, Hispanics and Asians who are recorded for posterity, goaded by counselors to cut through the bull and reveal their true feelings. The white teens are mainly put on the defensive by the format of the whole project.
Biggest problem is that the accusers, who present issues of discrimination and bigotry directed at ethnic minorities, homosexuals and women in general, end up shouting at kids who have trouble conceptualizing the issues. They can't relate the social context to their individual behavior, e.g., telling sexist jokes or not wanting any contact with "strange" (other races) people.
There's little on-screen evidence that these sessions change the teens or have a lasting impact. The women tearfully revealing their having been victimized by rape and forced incest is a moving experience for everyone, dutifully milked by the filmmakers with shots of weeping and a communal "hug-in" aftermath.
Given the platitudes of the "progressive" speakers assembled here, it is not surprising that one belligerent, very honest black youth scores the most points by wittily resisting the liberal accusations.
In arguing with a homosexual activist, he gets a very big laugh b declaring: "it's sick -God would have put Adam with Steve, not Adam and Eve, if you're right". This is funny because it's fresh. The rest of the picture is self-analysis jargon and revelations better suited to the Phil Donahue show.
"Coming of Age" is a well-meaning but unenlightening documentary covering "encounter group" sessions of counselors and teenagers at summer camp interacting on issues of racial and sexual stereotyping. Competently shot, picture's subject matter and lack of insight limit its audience to social workers and educators.
Faulty premise is that recording "group therapy"-style sessions on film will be of use or interest to others. Even if one buys the trendy "express your true feelings" and other forms of openness stressed by the peppy counselors on screen, there's no substitute for the face-to-face encounters being promoted here. In watching the film one can empathize, but there is no give and take.
The production team of Dennis Hicks, Josh Hanig and Catherine Coulson use their cinema verite cameras to observe the kids before, during and after the encounter sessions. It is mainly the minorities, blacks, Hispanics and Asians who are recorded for posterity, goaded by counselors to cut through the bull and reveal their true feelings. The white teens are mainly put on the defensive by the format of the whole project.
Biggest problem is that the accusers, who present issues of discrimination and bigotry directed at ethnic minorities, homosexuals and women in general, end up shouting at kids who have trouble conceptualizing the issues. They can't relate the social context to their individual behavior, e.g., telling sexist jokes or not wanting any contact with "strange" (other races) people.
There's little on-screen evidence that these sessions change the teens or have a lasting impact. The women tearfully revealing their having been victimized by rape and forced incest is a moving experience for everyone, dutifully milked by the filmmakers with shots of weeping and a communal "hug-in" aftermath.
Given the platitudes of the "progressive" speakers assembled here, it is not surprising that one belligerent, very honest black youth scores the most points by wittily resisting the liberal accusations.
In arguing with a homosexual activist, he gets a very big laugh b declaring: "it's sick -God would have put Adam with Steve, not Adam and Eve, if you're right". This is funny because it's fresh. The rest of the picture is self-analysis jargon and revelations better suited to the Phil Donahue show.