Flower could have been a much better film. The idea of a dark coming-of-age comedy about teenage anger, trauma, and blurred morality sounds promising. Zoey Deutch leads an energetic cast, and Kathryn Hahn adds her usual charm, so the pieces are in place. But instead, the film feels uncomfortable and immature, confusing shock value for real insight. The result is more frustrating than bold.

Deutch fully commits to playing Erica, a foul-mouthed teen who hides her vulnerability by acting out. She’s engaging enough to keep the movie interesting, even when the script fails her. Hahn is always fun to watch as Erica’s unpredictable mother, and Tim Heidecker and Adam Scott do well in their roles, but none of them can save a story this off track.

The main issue is how the screenplay views the world. Instead of honestly exploring teenage sexuality or troubled family dynamics, it often feels like it was written by someone acting out an uncomfortable fantasy about wanting to sleep with his stepsister. As the film reveals more strange family secrets, it just feels more awkward than shocking.

Rather than questioning these ideas, Flower seems strangely interested in them. The film never really earns the emotional depth it thinks it has, and it treats disturbing moments with an off-putting tone. In the end, it comes across as more immature than daring.

Equally frustrating is Erica herself. The film desperately wants her to be a chaotic force of nature, damaged, funny, irresistible and impossible to ignore. But she frequently falls into the tired manic-pixie-dream-girl trope, albeit with a much darker edge. Rather than existing as a fully realised young woman with believable emotional depth, she too often functions as a fantasy figure whose unpredictability exists largely to transform the life of her hopeless stepbrother. The screenplay mistakes erratic behaviour for complexity and confuses relentless quirkiness with genuine character development.

This is especially disappointing because Deutch clearly has the talent for a deeper role. She brings out real sadness beneath Erica’s tough exterior, suggesting there could have been a much better film if the script had let her show more.

The tone of Flower shifts among raunchy comedy, family drama, and awkward romance, but it never really finds a good balance. Scenes meant to be funny feel out of place next to moments that want real emotion, and the story’s wild twists make it hard to care about the characters by the end.

There are some good lines and a few funny moments, mostly because of Deutch’s bold performance, but these are rare highlights in a confusing film. Flower wants to challenge viewers, but it doesn’t seem to have much to say beyond trying to be more and more outrageous.

Despite its confidence and indie style, Flower ends up feeling like a bunch of uncomfortable ideas looking for a real story. The talented cast deserves much better than a script that confuses being edgy with being smart, turning interesting characters into awkward fantasies and clichés.

Similar films

• Thoroughbreds (2017)
• The Edge of Seventeen (2016)
• Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015)

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