THE ART OF GETTING BY

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Debut writer/director Gavin Wiesen's coming-of-age in upper class New York story reduces emotions to flat shiny surfaces.

Freddie Highmore graduates from "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" with an American accent that mostly works in order to disguise his British upbringing. Highmore's high school senior George is a child of privilege. Realization of life's finite reality leaves George unmotivated to do his school work. He's bright but inarticulate.

George is the smart kid who's too good to compete because everything seems too easy, an end-run. Freddie Highmore's charm is so natural that he's able to make such an unexpressive character likable. George discovers a muted stirring in his libido when he befriends Emma Roberts's Sally. However, the stirring in her nether regions is considerably stronger than his.

Unsure of how to follow through on their romantic feelings, George and Sally spend time drinking in Manhattan bars where bartenders somehow never card them.

Michael Angarano adds much needed pizzazz to the movie as Dustin, a successful painter who graduated from George's private school.

Though Dustin's generous attempts at mentoring George fall on deaf ears, he's the only character in the movie who has any depth. In spite of its many clichéd flaws "The Art of Getting By" does nail the aloof quality of entitled teens who posture at maturity without doing the dirty work of growing up.

Rated PG-13. 88 mins.