That this film is viewed by most reviewers here as better than average for its genre is due almost entirely to a marvellous performance by Rachael Leigh Cook in the lead role. As mindless entertainment, this just about passes, but to be honest, it doesn't have much else going for it. One perhaps should not expect too much of this type of film, but at a time when teen culture in the USA is very much under the microscope, this says very little about life as a teenager at the end of the century, refusing to challenge the audience and pandering to every cliched assumption in the book. Is it really true that everyone deep down wants to be prom queen popular, for instance, or that a geeky but beautiful art student who grew up without a mother really just needs another female's attention to show her how to wear make-up or pluck her eyebrows?..... (like wearing make-up and plucking eyebrows are incontrovertibly "good" things).
The plot is so familiar as to be barely worthy of a mention, while the 2-dimensional supporting characters might also ring a few bells (nasty best friend, bitchy ex-girlfriend prom-queen, father (i) supportive but clueless - until the final reel, father (ii) overly ambitious for child, dorky (sex-less) friend, little brother in need of our hero's protection..... ). Throw in some clumsy editing, a couple of excruciating scenes - in particular, the "dad, you can't live your life through me - son, i never wanted you to think that" exchange, and a typically awful and unrealistic soccer scene (from "Karate Kid" to this, why do they bother?) and we could have witnessed a real disaster.
However, Ms Cook makes one of the more attractive teen heroines, in a very Winona-esque way, and continually holds our interest, as does the dialogue, which when it's not being borrowed from a third grade soap opera is snappy and fresh (though never quite up to "Clueless" standards). The plot does knowingly sidestep a number of cliches, for which we should be grateful, and the use of dream sequences, seamless flashbacks, and a tv show within the film, all offer variety to keep the viewer interested.
Finally, though, I was left with one big regret - he didn't deserve her, and it was a real pity that she (ie, the writers) didn't recognise that fact.
PS - One footnote - did anyone else while watching the scene where the two guys wearing combat gear and "Kill Artists" t-shirts are humiliated by head jock and class president Zac start to wonder that maybe it's events like this that lead to such people turning up at school the next day with guns and hand grenades.....?
The plot is so familiar as to be barely worthy of a mention, while the 2-dimensional supporting characters might also ring a few bells (nasty best friend, bitchy ex-girlfriend prom-queen, father (i) supportive but clueless - until the final reel, father (ii) overly ambitious for child, dorky (sex-less) friend, little brother in need of our hero's protection..... ). Throw in some clumsy editing, a couple of excruciating scenes - in particular, the "dad, you can't live your life through me - son, i never wanted you to think that" exchange, and a typically awful and unrealistic soccer scene (from "Karate Kid" to this, why do they bother?) and we could have witnessed a real disaster.
However, Ms Cook makes one of the more attractive teen heroines, in a very Winona-esque way, and continually holds our interest, as does the dialogue, which when it's not being borrowed from a third grade soap opera is snappy and fresh (though never quite up to "Clueless" standards). The plot does knowingly sidestep a number of cliches, for which we should be grateful, and the use of dream sequences, seamless flashbacks, and a tv show within the film, all offer variety to keep the viewer interested.
Finally, though, I was left with one big regret - he didn't deserve her, and it was a real pity that she (ie, the writers) didn't recognise that fact.
PS - One footnote - did anyone else while watching the scene where the two guys wearing combat gear and "Kill Artists" t-shirts are humiliated by head jock and class president Zac start to wonder that maybe it's events like this that lead to such people turning up at school the next day with guns and hand grenades.....?