Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Let's be realistic.

Excellent, Without a doubt!!

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Watched HAVOC just more than two weeks ago, expecting a relationship drama featuring teenage promiscuity, but instead got a gang-banger-theme featuring teenage promiscuity. Watching NORMAL ADOLESCENT BEHAVIOR this week, expected a follow-up to HAVOC, a remake of sorts. But no, this one is a gentle movie with gentle characters bar a few tempers flaring. It's kind of disappointing, too, but my real problem during the premiere was that I couldn't make out what they were saying. Hell, people, I ain't deaf, but clear pronunciation is not big with the Newer Generations. Subtitle city! I checked on IMDb, some reviewers, obviously young, involved in the social scene of the day, hold this in high regard. So I went to subtitles, and I must admit that during my second outing with the movie, I developed more of an involvement. The movie is better than I thought. Sherbet, you need subtitles though. There are sentences that otherwise just cannot be discerned.There is very little nudity in this film. Bare backs with a fleeting distant side view of breasts do appear three or so times. Aside from that, it is feet, hands, backs, legs, arms, so somebody was really playing it safe. I am not going to suggest that it should have been different, because maybe Amber Tamblyn took the part stipulating just exactly this, and she was really right for the part, so I wouldn't want to tamper with what we got. But in the unlikely event of there being a HAVOC 3, I'd say Something Wilder next time.This one is a chick flick which definitely doesn't add up to the meaning of the word 'havoc' and so it should have remained NORMAL ADOLESCENT BEHAVIOR with no reference to the Anne Hathaway movie.Truth be told, there are way better teen dramas out there, better teenage promiscuity dramas too. But Amber Tamblyn did great, and that little junior star was noteworthy, I keep forgetting her name, the one with the darling fringe like Carly Rae Jeppsen. Had to peek now, Julia Gallo. (nowadays Laila Liliane Gallo, kinky! whatever works for you, pet)Noticed that the storyline has them as in that group where they don't have to play the games of society. Yet they are all highly individualistic, a nose stud here, a nose job there... What was up with those boxes though? Big deal! A seventies thing. Today's kids certainly wouldn't be bothered by mere trivialities.Ideal for a rainy afternoon, but when the sun peeks through...

As human ethologists say, humans' natural social environment is a close group of 100 or less. Compare this to current lifestyle, especially in the West, especially in the US, especially for teens who are in the midst of a hundred people of their age alone. Lots of stress arise. It is only natural to cling to a small, safe and protective group (not to mention the bonobo-ish sex traits) if one is available. True, if you get used to it too much, you may not grow fit for the more competitive larger society.Wendy's dilemma is a common one, also apparent in foreign trade, in foreign policy, or often in choosing between traditional and modern ways of living. Isolation promises stability. Openness has the mantra: "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger". Islands of stability are usually corrupted from the outside. The end of the Edo period of Japan is a nice historical example. In this film, the external threat is time with college approaching and, probably, instincts kicking in to have a usual family. Look at Billie. She is the ant soldier, the militant populist, the male chimp patrol team of the group. A good example of how inward cosiness somehow tends to entail hostility to strangers. For anyone outside their group, her actions seem exaggerated. But let's be honest, has anyone invented and stably operated 'us' without 'them'?Now should we be happy about Wendy leaving the group? In most aspects, yes. Her life-story will become more sustainable by this. Is it good for her to have been part of the group? Yes. She could relieve stress and pay more attention to her goals. She could experience what has become so rare and too often despised of: to be part of a real community. Should we learn from this movie to leave our close communities in general and behave more individualistically? NO! Communities, even if temporary, do have benefits. And look at this globalised world. There are no competitors outside the globe so we could afford less vigilance and more co-operation. But 7 billion people cannot all unite in person. We need groups of groups. And, somehow, less neurotic Billies.

Six "20-something" high school students have been best friends forever. Upon coming of age, they decide to avoid adolescent sexual angst by pledging to only screw around with each other. But, things get sticky for the sextet when hot Amber Tamblyn (as Wendy Bergman) gets a load of hunky new neighbor Ashton Holmes (as Sean Mayer). Should Ms. Tamblyn stay with her sex buds - Kelli Garner (as Billie), Raviv Ullman (as Price), Stephen Colletti (as Robert), Julia Garro (as Ann), and Edward Tournier (as Jonah) - or split for Sean? Surprisingly, nobody considered having Mr. Holmes join the group. This would have made the film more dynamic, and could still deal with the "one" v "multiple" partners debate. Also, Holmes could teach Ms. Garner (the only one who never broke the rules of the group) how to give a good spanking; because, as the group's unofficial leader, she really should know. The spanking scene between Tamblyn and Holmes is about as daring as the sexcapades get - although some more adventurous fun is implied to be going on.For some reason (possibly, to deceive you into thinking there is more nudity in this film), the studio decided to re-title this film "Normal Adolescent Behavior: Havoc 2" somewhere along the way to its DVD release. Be advised, "Normal Adolescent Behavior" has nothing to do with "Havoc" (2005), which was a good story derailed by some strained performances (Freddy Rodriguez was good, though).This film features a very connected Tamblyn (from "General Hospital", and the daughter of Russ Tamblyn) giving writer/director Beth Schacter an excellent lead performance. Tamblyn shows the dramatic fire of young Sally Field; hopefully, she'll have a long, successful career. And, you may recognize "Raviv Ullman" is indeed "Ricky Ullman" from "Phil of the Future", showing dramatic range of his own.Ms. Schacter works incredibly well with the cast. In probably the best-written of the secondary roles, Ms. Garner shows why she should be a more well-regarded actress. Actually, all the supporting cast members, including "Watchmen" comic reader and cookin' little brother Daryl Sabara (as Nathan), leave you wanting to see more of their film work... so, can anyone explain, after seeing him in this film, why Mr. Tournier has only ONE feature film credit? ******* Normal Adolescent Behavior (4/27/07) Beth Schacter ~ Amber Tamblyn, Ashton Holmes, Kelli Garner, Ricky Ullman

Shunning random hookups,these friends vow to be only with each other.No apologies and no regrets.But when one of them falls for an outsider,the groups cold and calculating leader takes it personally and decides that if anyone leaves her clique,she'll show them just how dangerous it is to make enemies out of friends.Normal Adolescent Behavior:Havoc 2 is a teen sex drama/comedy about a group of friends who love each other and hookup with each other every Saturday.Sounds bad and boring right?Wrong.This movie doesn't focus on sex,it mainly focuses on relationships,close friends and friendships.THe film opens great and its moving at a nice pace but in the middle is slows down and slowly fades away for a while but then near the end it comes back again.This is the first sex drama/comedy I've seen that doesn't show sex scene after sex scene after another.It's more than that.I really don't know what the hate is about this movie is great and it will remain great forever in my heart.