The Art of Getting By (2011)

"The Art of Getting By" is another movie with a great soundtrack that I downloaded right away (and not just cuz it had a Leonard Cohen song but that helped).

This is also another movie that got a low Rotten Tomatoes score that I really liked.

Freddie Highmore (August Rush) plays a high schooler who draws named George who is about to flunk out.  Emma Roberts plays his love interest, Sally. 

The smaller parts are also really well cast: Blair Underwood as the principal, Alicia Silverstone as George's English teacher, Rita Wilson as his mom.

Why is this not just another "twee" movie?  Some critics have written that it's self-indulgent, but I think it's self-indulgent ironically.  When George's heart is broken he listens to the same Leonard Cohen "Winter Lady" song over and over, in a funny scene, for example.  In another, they have a friend-type sleepover that's pretty funny.

They also walk around New York City, great shots of the city.

Again, I disagree with Roger Ebert.  The villain is no "sweatheart" he is a wolf in friend's clothing.