Old Enough (1984)

Boyish Lonnie (Sarah Boyd), aged eleven-and-three-quarters, is an observant kid but she’s lived a sheltered life. Her parents are well-off with plenty of coin, but Lonnie's never seen the other side of it. Karen, more streetwise and by appearances at least a year older, befriends her, making herself teacher and role model in how to be a typical teen.
It’s an interesting look at adolescence that doesn't get preachy when the girls do wrong or goof off their responsibilities, all of which are, of course, scheduled by adults. In doing so it highlights the value of nurture and likewise the positive results that experience can bring.

2½ summer lessons out of 5

Permanent Record (1988)

An excellent film from Marisa Silver that I feel deserves a lot more attention than it currently gets. It co-stars Keanu Reeves, who does a version of Ted a year before he met Bill but not played as much for laughs. He and best friend David (Alan Boyce), both weeks away from high school graduation and an uncertain future, are trying to get their band into a recording studio. Chris (Keanu) tries, but mostly he takes things in his stride. David, however, is feeling the pressure, while his silent cries for help go unnoticed.
It slow burns into the story of a young guy in a situation he's unprepared for, yet aware that he need step up to the mark if anything is to be salvaged. It's simple but delivered with an acute eye for what's important.

4 hemmed responsibilities out of 5