The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Creating something truly original is hard, and those who do, are the ones who should be making movies, you know, so that we can stop seeing movies that are just bits and pieces copied from other cliché films.

After follows diligent college freshman Tessa (Josephine Langford) in her first semester in college; Tessa is finally moving away from her overprotective mother and high school sweetheart boyfriend for the first time. Tessa meets troubled, rebellious senior Hardin (Hero Fiennes-Tiffin) and she starts questioning her old life, the people in it, and her future. But, is he worth it?

Well, you probably guessed that there is nothing new here.

The plot is as basic as that of several forgettable chick-flick features with the same good girl meets bad boy theme that, for some unknown reason, just doesn’t seem to die.

The plot is also riddled with clichés. From the locations in which the couple go, to the fact that Tessa is a virgin, and a game of truth or dare; the clichés just keep piling up to a point where you can guess both what will happen next as well as the exact lines that will be said. The predictability is so profound that an early scene in the film will have you predict the entire plot and even its ending. Every time you think the plot could take a less safe or clichéd turn, it just swerves right back into safety, and you remain disappointed.

The film didn’t need to work on characterisation since we already know the characters and got familiar with them in the 10 thousand other movies we have watched with basically the same characters. The only non-cliché part of the characterisation was the background information provided on how the two were raised.

The only reason this feature is even watchable is the performances of its two lead actors. Josephine Langford was able to make her rather cliché character somewhat genuine and different with complex facial expressions and body language. Langford’s performance was subtle but simultaneously evocative which showcased her skills that would shine even further in a much better film. Hero Fiennes-Tiffin had a much harder job cut out for him with a mind-numbingly cliché character, and he was only partly able to make him different. Still, his performance was sophisticated and showed acting skills that are a great credit to the young actor.

If you are a teenager who loves romantic films, regardless of how well they’re made, then this is for you. If you are not, then don’t waste your time.