Rebel Without a Cause Review

Rebel Without a Cause Dir. Nicholas Ray
Feat. James Dean (James Stark), Natalie Wood (Judy), Sal Mineo (Plato)
Warner Bros, 1955.

James Dean's "Rebel Without a Cause" basically revolves around the main characters image. When first glanced at, Jim Stark has this aura around him. He seems to be this rebellious, cigarette smoking, hunk. However, the true beauty of his Dean's performance as Stark is how broken and even gentle he is.

Of course we remember the moments where he iconically screams at his parents, kicks paintings, and bashes in desks, but most of his screen time consists of quiet nuances. He has no friends, he's lonely and reserved, and he just wants respect. He wants someone to listen to him, someone to stand up for what's right. He has to feel like a pendulum swinging between his bickering parents, moving from town to town, he's had enough. He's a teenager after all, teens act out, it's just what we do.
Now the plot is nothing amazing; however, the cast is.

This is James Dean's most memorable performance. In fact, it is in his performance that all the charm of this movie lies. From his infectious smile and laugh to his cries of frustration. You feel for him and you relate to him. Especially if you're young. If Mr. and Mrs. Stark just listened, if Judy’s parent’s paid heed to her, if Plato actually had parents present in his life, maybe they could see what was “tearing them apart.” The suffocating hopelessness of the world that seems magnified tenfold in your adolescent years, as things are changing so rapidly. You’re getting pressured beyond belief and to top it off, it seems like no one understands you, not in the least. Never before had I considered how this entire story unfolds in the course of one tragic day.

It’s not realism by any means, but instead, it’s bursting with the passion and pain as reflected by Ray’s camera and impeccable use of color.  It’s as if the teenage experience is being wholly magnified and consolidated into a single moment. That’s what Rebel Without a Cause embodies.