Is Max a stereotypical teenager?

In ‘our’ eyes realistically, stereotypical teenagers are people who should be classed as mature adults, people we relate to being at school and people/students at an age where you work hard all week and go out at the weekend. Although in the American films we notice a divide in the groups of teenagers for example: the dumb pretty popular girls, the football crazed popular boys, the wannabes, the geeks, the emos, the indies etc...We see this in such films as Mean Girls where it focuses deliberately on the divide of each group. However this isn’t realistic.

From ‘some’ older people’s views, looking down at teenagers, we can sometimes be stereotyped as trouble makers and drop outs that care more about appearance and going out than important work. Although some opinions, such as ones from parents, want their children to be better than what they were and to improve socially, intellectually and be good in all areas, e.g. sport, education. However this is also not very realistic.
In the opening montage we get the impression that Max is the perfect parents child, but behind all the ‘window dressing’ he isn’t. Right at the start of the montage there is a close up on the book which has bee’s on it, linking to Max being a ‘busy bee’ and the ‘bees knees’ and the bee club shown later in the montage.
 He then turns the page onto a picture of himself posing trying to look ‘cool’ however, the hat, glasses and smart blazer speak differently. The shot then moves onto him walking towards us, ‘leading the way’ with his followers either side of him. This gives the impression that he has a higher authority or ‘thinks’ he has. However this clashes’ with the stereotypical American teenager, as the person that everyone follows is usually dressed more casually. He also seems to be instructing them with what to do and acting a lot older than his age. This then reflects in the second shot as he’s in a French class with younger people. This also emphasizes that he wants to act older than his age to bring upon himself more importance and authority. We also get the impression that he doesn’t have many friends his own age as he’s amongst younger people in a lot of the different clubs he does.  It then moves on to the Model United Nations club where he’s sat proudly and confidently at a table with two ‘less bothered’ younger teenagers at his sides. Because the two younger ones are more slouchy and less alert it gives the impression that Max over exaggerates and takes things, like the clubs too seriously. He also uses his hands a lot when talking which also shows confidence. Then it moves onto him collecting coins and then after we have the debate team. What we can notice in the debate team is that the opposing team are two similar aged teenagers just like Max. However by Max’s side is a younger teenager. Not only does this emphasize how he doesn’t have many friends his own age, but also shows a sense of unconfidence. The younger boy is leaning over more, taking the dominant role of the ‘debate’ which is also more ‘threatening’ in a way as he’s less mature, more aggressive and argumentative.  In the next shot we see him with the lacrosse team where we see a more American stereotype. Our first clear impressions of Max is a typical ‘geek’ and after seeing him being the higher authority in the first few clips we now see him fall back. The sport teenagers are usually the more popular ones and Max leans down whilst sat next to them. This could represent him having a lower status than the sports players as his body language gives a sense of bowing down. 

The rest of his clubs give off the same impression as the first ones. Max is obviously trying to create a high status of himself to become popular, however from the eyes of everyone else he’s a typical geek. Another way to look at it, is that Max knows where he stands and may struggle with school so he uses these clubs to keep a fast paced life, keeping his mind focused on being a leader and looking after the younger children. Also as there’s so many clubs that he joins it’s almost as if he’s desperate for the attention and fits in as the American teenager ‘wannabe’ as he uses the clubs to get well known. So there is some links to the American stereotype. Also Max is wearing a blue blazor whereas the others are wearing brown coloured ones. This shows him trying to stand out and be different not just with profile but with appearance too.
In conclusion I think that in some ways Max is a typical teenager. For example, wanting a high status/profile, being in control and standing out. However the clubs that he does make him seem very unrealistic. Surely a person wouldn't have enough time to do ALL of those clubs and surely a teenager can't be capable of being good at ALL of those things.