Slums of Beverly Hills

Appeals to viewers who enjoy sharp, semi-autobiographical coming-of-age stories about messy families, social embarrassment, and hard-won affection.

Tone

bittersweet, warm, darkly comic

Payoff

amusement, catharsis

Pacing

steady

Intensity

moderate

Structure

linear

Themes

adolescence, family dysfunction, class insecurity, sexual awakening, belonging

Setting

1970s, transient homes and affluent suburban outskirts