Beyond Clueless, film review: Insightful documentary about modern teen movies

(15 Charlie Lyne, 89 mins Narrated by: Fairuza Balk

Entertaining: Charlie Lyne's documentary 'Beyond Clueless'

Charlie Lyne's documentary about modern teen movies is entertaining and insightful, but also scattergun in its approach.

There are no talking-head interviews, or attempts to give the production histories of the films under scrutiny, or to identify their stars and directors, Instead, he explores recurrent themes, dividing the film into chapters such as "fitting in" or "acting out," and dealing with sexuality, bodily change and high-school hierarchies.

The many clips are very well- chosen (although we could possibly have done without the prolonged montage of teen-movie masturbation scenes) and the commentary, by the actor Fairuza Balk, is perceptive and often witty.