It turned out to be better than expected, utilizing various lighting and makeup techniques to portray variations in the characters' social classes, openness to change, and personality. They managed to make the prettiest girl ever, Shailene Woodley, look relatively plain by placing her in straight up awkward lighting. I imagine it was purposeful. It also added to the oppressive realistic blanket that covered the entire movie. The characters were not visually perfect, mirroring their imperfect lives and revealing their faults more prominently.
Just look at that romance.
Miles Tyler, the male in the picture above, is not going to win handsomest man alive on any list, but he was able to beautifully and realistically portray emotion better than a lot of actors would be capable of doing. And I had to laugh because all I initially saw was Willard.
This isn't the greatest picture to describe this, but the romance was not the most important part of the movie's plot. Sutter has a multitude of other problems aside from Aimee and all of the fun perks to having a woman in your life. She helped him cope with his major father wound, the fact that he doesn't believe he is worthy of love from anyone, and his certainly unhealthy addiction to hard liquor from tasteful flasks.
At any rate, the movie was surprising, filled to the brim with very "teen" activities, and appropriately lighted so that the entire movie looked like it was shot through an instagram filter.
Just look at how hipster that cast is! That's two pairs of overalls in one picture. Yes. And a fun bun.
