The use of music in the film is, initially, so obvious that it becomes the cinematic equivalent of “jazz hands.” It’s as if the film makers didn’t trust the audience to empathize with the emotions on the screen so they flew in trendy (at the time) New Wave and Top 40 music to drive the feelings home.

I mean, do you REALLY think U2 are happy to have “I Will Follow’ played over a scene of a teenager getting an abortion?

But then you have to remember that this is a film about TEEN emotions. So many “teen films” are actually for grown up adults who are looking back on their teen years. But LAV is really ABOUT teen emotions, and teens are overwrought and melodramatic in their expressions. Yes, of course there will be songs that come to mind that seem to “speak” to the moment as if were expressly written for YOUR life. (I seem to recall A Question of Lust being quite poignant during a make-out session when I was a lad) ‘

I would avoid the edited version at all cost. You need the vulgarity.

CRABS!