Monday, February 1, 1999
New high school comedy isn’t all that
FILM: Movie interesting despite predictable plot, stereotypical
characters
By Terry Tang
Daily Bruin Contributor
Now that the wave of movies about teens who scream about what
they can’t recall two summers ago is dying down, another old trend
is undergoing a rebirth. Comedies about high school angst,
trademarks of directors like John Hughes and Amy Heckerling, have
resurfaced with a ’90s gloss. The valley-girl spin that "Clueless"
took on Jane Austen’s "Emma" is what "She’s All That" tries to do
for George Bernard Shaw’s "Pygmalion."
The caterpillar-turned-butterfly story makes for a very
predictable, but somewhat amusing movie that should attract a
handsome crowd of Backstreet Boys-humming, TGIF-watching
youths.
The fairy tale begins when, upon arriving back from spring
break, senior Zack (Freddie Prinze Jr.) gets dumped by rich-bitch
girlfriend Taylor (Jodi Lyn O’Keefe) for an oddball resident of
MTV’s "The Real World." As the most popular guy in his class, Zack
doesn’t take the humiliation of being dumped very well. In order to
downplay his loss, Zack bets his jock pals that he can work magic
on any girl in six weeks and turn her into prom queen material,
breathtaking enough to even beat out his ex.
Enter Laney (Rachel Leigh Cook), an isolated misfit who only
enjoys immersing herself in art and pessimistic CNN headlines.
Appearing to be a classic four-eyed dork, Laney unknowingly becomes
Zack’s guinea pig. Of course, as the Prince and Cinderella get to
know each other, it doesn’t take a valedictorian to guess that Zack
learns not to judge a book by its cover.
Both Prinze and Cook seem too cool for the audience to believe
that Zack and Laney are really tortured inside by problems with
family and classmates, respectively. With mostly Kevin
Williamson-scripted films on his resume, Prinze doesn’t really get
a chance to prove he has acting muscles to stretch, especially in a
role that could be played by any young hottie from any young
television show.
Meanwhile, Cook barely passes for an ugly duckling with her waif
figure and porcelain-doll features. Furthermore, the actress just
can’t seem to muster up the winning charisma needed to prove that
her character really is all that and more.
However, the shiny, happy flick conjures up most of its charm
through the high school backdrop. In the classroom hierarchy,
seniors have a leash on every other grade – it makes for great
laughs when Zack uses his clout to overrule the punier lower
classmen. And the immaturity and degradation of high school really
comes to a comedic light when Zack gets Laney’s little freshman
brother out of a very nasty, hairy situation with two grungy
bullies.
Of course, being a school in sunny southern California, the
halls also swarm with anorexic, fashion-chic girls and buff guys
who drone on about which female they’d like to nail. Zack’s wager
is only an example of what a petty and scary world high school can
be in an alternate dimension. Instead of being the time of your
life, this high school looks more like a freak show.
Every actor represents a walking stereotype waiting to be made
into a fool.
Although you definitely don’t want an education there, it is
nice to ride through.Miramax Films
Zack (Freddie Prinze Jr.) bets he can transform Laney (Rachael
Leigh Cook) into prom queen material in "She’s All That."
Miramax Films
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