Everyone remembers their awkward teenage years and the varying amounts of trauma that brings. The mind shudders at memories of trying to figure who the hell you are and find your place in the world, while also being tested by a rigid school system. Soundtrack to Sixteen from the Shakespeare Sisters (not to be confused with ‘Shakespeare’s Sister’, the erstwhile pop duo) takes a look at this from a very British perspective, and a significant amount of charm.
The ‘Coming of age’ film has long been a staple of mainstream and indie filmmaking, from ‘Rebel Without A Cause’, to ‘The Breakfast Club’, ‘Stand By Me’, ‘Eighth Grade’, ‘Mean Girls’ and many more. Typically, many of these are from an American perspective, but Soundtrack to Sixteen, written by Anna-Elizabeth Shakespeare and Hillary Shakespeare, tackles this from a different angle. There are no opening shots of skateboarders leaping over the camera as they go to school accompanied by a pop punk soundtrack here. Instead, it approaches the subject in a much more sedate British fashion, with a distinctly ‘Inbetweeners’ feel, and a much more convincingly awkward aesthetic.
The plot revolves around two teenagers, Maisy (Scarlett Marshall) and Ben (Gino Wilson) who are both struggling to define who they are and battling insecurities. Peer pressure and the sense of being left behind by their friends in the race to ‘maturity’ plays on their minds, and only adds to their torment on top of just existing at a school where expectations are high. For the first part of the film, Maisy and Ben move in different circles, showing different sides of the same problem. For Ben, his social group may be the losers in the school, but they stick together, and their main problem is being the social pariahs. Maisy meanwhile is caught up in the selfishness of her friend’s betrayal and tries to strike out on her own, allying herself with the ‘mean girls’. It’s only after a chance meeting that they find they are both similarly lost and find solace in a new friendship.
In many ways you’ve seen these elements before, and Soundtrack to Sixteen obviously borrows some themes from the genre. The ‘mean girls’ trope for instance is a common factor in coming-of-age comedies, and you are reminded of the work of Richard Curtis, John Hughes, Amy Heckerling, and especially the aforementioned ‘Inbetweeners’. This isn’t too much of a surprise though, as these elements are typical of this kind of film, but they are done very well here with some nice writing that feels authentic.
The pain of isolation, that ill at ease feeling of not fitting in, allied with the cruelty of young people who are able to pinpoint each other’s most sensitive insecurities all get covered and are captured perfectly. While Maisy takes the brunt of the cruelty, Ben has an equally harsh time, coping with a slightly different set of insecurities, but with no less anguish.
As this was originally shot in 2013, you can also completely understand the Inbetweeners influence, as it was at its height at the time and would have been difficult to escape. In comparison to that version of teenage life, this does appear to be set in a much more affluent part of London though, and the schools are no run-down comprehensives. This gives it a more insular feel, divorced from reality, which actually ends up working in its favour. That focus really plays into the idea that for them their exams, and what in retrospect will be petty worries, are the be all and end all of their existence.
Where this really excels though is in the awkward rapport of the main characters, with their stumbling, yet endearing attempts to come to grips with life. The pairing of Scarlett Marshall and Gino Wilson are engaging, with Marshall especially giving an excellent performance as Maisy, as she battles on multiple fronts. This imbues her with a kindhearted fragility, but also an amazing strength that is at the heart of the film.
If there’s something missing here, it would the titular Soundtrack that Ben compiles each year, as it just becomes more of a symbolic device, no doubt due to budgetary restraints. It would have been interesting to have the specific bands that they mention driving the narrative forward, intertwining with the characters emotionally, and making Ben’s CD all the more relevant. Not having them is unfortunate as it keeps one element that so neatly sums up a time period at arm’s length, although there is a score that has an early 2000s nostalgia in its place. The likelihood of getting Blink 182 and Sunny Day Real Estate though is small, so the approach they took is completely understandable.
Soundtrack to Sixteen isn’t perfect, but on the whole works very well with inherent wit and grace, and does draw you in with its charm. The central performances also ground this in reality and give this a solid and engaging heart at its core. No matter what age you are now, this will draw your mind back to those difficult years, but hopefully not give you exam nightmares!
Soundtrack to Sixteen is available in the UK online via Amazon and other streaming services.
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