Actress Drew Barrymore was tapped to direct this short film music video for Best Coast and it would be just plain wrong for you not to watch it. First of all, it stars the young but extremely talented actress Chloë Moretz (Hit Girl from Kick Ass). Second it features a bevy of other young, rising stars like Tyler Posey (Teen Wolf), Donald Glover (Community), Miranda Cosgrove (iCarly), and who could forget Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development‘s Maeby Fünke). And third, it tells an emotional, stylistically gritty, and heartbreaking tale of warring gangs in the mean streets of LA. It’s described as “a timeless convergence of inspiration from West Side Story, Romeo & Juliet, and Style Wars.”

In an interview with Pitchfork, Barrymore talked about the visual inspirations behind the clip. “One thing that got me started on it was the jean jacket. It’s an item that could make you believe you’re in the 50s or punk-rock 70s or grunge 90s. I was really focused on timelessness, and I think music is very timeless; Best Coast has elements of a girl group from the 50s or a rock band from the 70s, and they’ve got this modern, west coast beach-y sound that ties it all together and doesn’t make it feel anachronistic or retro. I always like worlds where you could be in several different time periods. I tried to pull a lot of images from, like,The Outsiders— jean jackets galore, best film ever, and totally stands up today. That was made in the 80s to be emblematic of the 50s, it’s a perfect example of transcending eras.”

Somehow, someway Barrymore was able to pack the story she wanted to tell in the four minute video embedded above. But she couldn’t leave it at that. After watching the widespread music video above, jump after the break to find the nearly 11 minute long “extended version” that plays out even more like a short film. Continue reading Drew Barrymore directs Best Coast music video starring Chloë Moretz →