Blue Like Jazz (2012)

My good friend Paul gave me this book which was an autobiographical look at Donald Miller's questioning of his Christianity.  Now that might not sound like the premise for a fictional movie, but that's what creativity will do for you.

Don (Marshall Allman) is a teenager in Houston with more than typical teenager problems.  His parents are divorced and he and his mother are both cozy with the youth minister at their church.  Seeking to get away, he takes his father's offer to go to Portland OR to Reed College, a famously unorthodox college.

I like the fish out of water aspect of him there and even associated myself to some degree with the story.  I laughed out loud at the Texas flag, as I had one on my dorm wall as well.  There was a nice buildup as he made more friends, got close to getting a cool girlfriend Penny (Claire Holt) and faces his fear of "being ashamed of Jesus".

A  South by Southwest selection in its day, it's a well done and thoughtful movie.  A bit eclectic but that is a good thing.  No wonder they chose it for SXSW.

***** (highest)