“Looking for Alaska” follows Miles “Pudge” Halter (Charlie Plummer) who is searching for a deeper perspective on life and decides to enroll at the boarding school Culver Creek Academy. He finds a loyal group of friends and falls in love with Alaska Young (Kristine Froseth). After an unexpected tragedy, the close group of friends tries to cope with everything they’ve been through and find some answers along the way.
As I sat down with curiosity in mind to watch this, I realized it’s a series and the beginning was the ending! In a matter of seconds, an emotional pull drew me in, witnessing a major car crash staged in Orlando in 2005, that even triggered negative similar memories of my own. The impact of real-life is portrayed with a group of intellectual, philosophical “smart kids,” young teens, one in which is the main character, Alaska Young (Kristine Froseth), who comes off as “cool” yet I could tell she was deeply troubled by her inhibited ways. Most often what makes someone appear to have an edge in society stems from an inner world that flaunts from issues. In the beginning, the atmosphere is a boarding school, Culver Creek Academy, where kids are behaving exactly how teens do, whether you want to have your eyes closed to it or not. They come together from all walks of life, from high society to trailer park and you know what, they’re kids and there’s a purity in how they know that too and it doesn’t matter where you come from but how you treat others. It’s not how big your home is or what possessions you have, how much money you have, or what your social status is, teens all come from an environment in which they learn behaviors and adapt from. There’s a darkness in all. This group of teens each carries with them a past, one in which they come together to explore and search for answers.
First off, I would recommend this to any teen facing this world today especially to those whose parents shelter them. If you don’t want your child to rebel, this one will open your eyes and theirs to real teen life without supervision. Kids are going to find out for themselves and from peers so you might as well watch it with them and advise along the way. There are benefits to seeing the consequences of actions. While there is a slew of profanity, alcohol, drug use, and casual sex, there are sweet and silly moments, pranks, and heartbreak that sum up a life lived. Lessons can be learned here and as a parent allowing your teen to see what goes on at their age could help them identify better. The downfall, in my opinion, with this series, is that if your teen is already showing signs of depression or just plain awkwardness, the whimsical livelihood may stimulate them and send them on a self-seeking quest to find themselves in an “I don’t care attitude.” Now, they’re going to do that, regardless but just be careful with this one and always check in with your children. Teens face major life choices and every choice you make has a great effect on them. They’re prone to make decisions without thinking clearly as well because the brain hasn’t reached its full capacity. A mature teen could watch this and decipher through but I think it would be wise to just chill with them and casually bring up the scenes to gauge where their head is and how you can steer them in the right direction, to walk a straighter path. Shielding them could potentially hurt them more so than you could ever imagine from exploration. The not knowing amplifies the yearning to know. As parents, don’t be naive. This show, while many might gasp at things seeming well “inappropriate,” is real life.
Watching kids make poor choices in this one helped me see that so many kids are just copying what they think is normal, what they’ve seen in their own environment, trying to satisfy curiosity as well. Alaska, while she’s pretty and free-spirited, engages in choices that are self-destructive. So many people of all ages, not just teens, turn to addictions thinking that it will push their problems down, make them fade for a while, calm their nerves but the problem is they actually create more problems and create barriers for goodness to find its way in. Anything that makes you turn from doing the right thing or something to make you crave in habit, is just a cover-up for what’s really happening deep inside for the temporary basis of happiness.
Alaska Young (Kristene Froseth), “Rat,” and Miles “Pudge” Halter (Charlie Plummer) are just a few characters who set the stage in “Looking for Alaska.” Miles begins to fall in love with Alaska and her intentions are that she just wants to teach him what he needs to get the girl he wants, however, she is who he truly wants. Her sights are on someone else, someone more experienced.
While I can’t go into detail on this one as I don’t want to spoil it for you, just know this series will have you hooked. I think the most important aspect of this one is making sure your teen doesn’t have the desire to become like “Alaska.” While there’s beauty in her being herself without constraint, a compelling mystifying demeanor, her life is based on not working through her problems in a positive way. It’s important to watch the whole series to take wisdom away and enlighten your teen about how the choices they make will not only affect them for the rest of their life but will also affect all those around them. Remember, your child’s thinking fractures upon what’s stemmed from childhood and all that they muster up to maintain a unique aura about them as they face the world wanting an air about them.
As you will see watching this, Alaska goes from one thing to another and people look up to her despite her careless ways. They eventually end up looking for her and tragedy befalls. Insight and light are shed and can be a great resource in teaching your teen about teen life and the repercussions of how they live day to day, who their friends are, what they think and what they do all showcase who they are, who they become and how they’ll live this precious life we all have, a gift.
Now available on DVD from Paramount Home Entertainment
