From the first few scenes of The Edge of Seventeen, it’s clear that Nadine is a smart person who is going through a tough time. But as the story progresses and Nadine makes the choice to cut her best friend Krista out of her life for dating her brother Darian, it becomes harder to think that Nadine is being as intelligent as she could be. The people in her world are doing what they can to see things from Nadine’s POV but it’s clear that they have their own motivations as well.
From Nadine’s parents and brother to a teacher who makes a positive impression on her, the main characters in The Edge of Seventeen vary when it comes to intelligence.
Mona Franklin
In some ways, The Edge of Seventeen is a movie about a tough single parent as Mona is struggling to raise her two children after the death of her husband.
While Mona seems to try her best to get through to Nadine, she isn’t very kind to her daughter, and it’s hard to think of Mona as a very intelligent person. Mona’s parenting style involves yelling, criticizing, and refusing to listen to what Nadine is thinking and feeling and it seems like her approach could be much more compassionate.
Nick Mossman
Nadine’s love interest Nick isn’t a very smart person, either, as he asks Nadine out and then tries to sleep with her right away.
Nick isn’t kind, supportive, or polite, and he doesn’t stop to think Nadine’s feelings. Nick is a problematic character who has a lot of growing up to do and he doesn’t want to take the time to get to know people for who they are. Nick is too busy doing whatever he wants and looking out for himself.
Nadine
Nadine is a solid character in a coming of age movie as she misses her dad and becomes angry at her best friend Krista for dating her brother Darian. But while Nadine’s feelings are understandable and her grief makes a lot of sense, it’s still possible for her to be more polite, caring, and grown-up.
Although fans know that Nadine is struggling, she doesn’t always make the best decisions or act in a very smart manner. At the end of the film, Nadine shows that she has more emotional intelligence as she can understand Krista and Darian’s perspectives.
Darian Franklin
Darian is more perceptive and intelligent than Nadine and their mother, but he still has a long way to go when it comes to truly understanding his sister.
While Darian explains his side of the story and says that he feels overwhelmed by having to look out for his family, he is a bit too harsh and doesn’t always seem to care that Nadine is suffering. Darian could learn a bit more about emotional intelligence as well, but it makes sense that he resents his family as he believes that they’re keeping him from reaching his dreams.
Krista
Krista is much more wise and clever than Nadine. While she knows that Nadine is upset about Krista and Darian’s relationship, Krista also knows that eventually, Nadine will most likely be okay with it and they can get back to the friendship that they once had.
While Krista could discuss this with Nadine more, Krista does seem smart as she knows that Nadine needs some time and space to work through this tricky and difficult situation.
Tom Franklin
Some of the best coming of age movies feature a sweet story about a child and a close family member. The Edge of Seventeen starts off by sharing the close bond between Nadine and her father Tom who tragically passes away.
Tom seems much smarter than his wife Mona, who parents Nadine in a strict and rigid way that Nadine doesn’t respond to, and it’s tough to watch Nadine’s family fall apart without Tom.
Greer Bruner
While fans don’t see a lot of Max’s wife Greer, she does seem wise, kind, and at peace with her happy family life.
Greer can tell that Nadine is having a hard time and while she might wish that her husband was home more often, she knows that he’s spending a lot of time helping Nadine and Greer seems to understand that this is exactly what Nadine needs. Like Krista, Greer is a perceptive character who sometimes hangs out in the background and lets people figure out what they need to do.
Erwin Kim
Erwin is a likable character in The Edge of Seventeen and he’s also one of the most intelligent. While he likes Nadine and feels that they are kindred spirts, he can tell that she should work through some anger before they can start a potential relationship.
Erwin doesn’t care what others think and he loves making art, with animation being his passion. Erwin is also intelligent in how he approaches his feelings for Nadine. After she says that they should keep things platonic, he makes an animated movie about an alien who likes someone who isn’t sure about them. Nadine likes that this story is based on their interaction and audiences smile when she is vulnerable and gives him flowers.
Max Bruner
Nadine’s teacher Max is the most clever character in The Edge of Seventeen, striking the right balance between giving Nadine advice and also showing her that she has to figure out a few things on her own.
Max seems smarter than many teachers who appear in popular culture since he just wants to be himself. He doesn’t suffer fools or let anyone pretend to be someone who they aren’t, and he teaches Nadine a lot about self-compassion. Max is also wise because he knows that teenagers respond to an adult who is being honest, frank, and genuine.
