Recently Steven and I decided to watch all the DVDs we own in alphabetical order. It’s similar to that time I decided to cook out of every cookbook in the house, but less practical. The first title is that 90s classic based on a Shakespeare play, 10 Things I Hate About You.
I’m not over how cute Heath Ledger is in this, I’m not
Summary
Based on Taming of the Shrew–and even sneaking in a surprising amount of direct quotes!–this story follows new kid in school Cameron as he attempts to date the beautiful Alex Mack despite her father’s rule that she can’t date unless her older sister Julia Stiles does. Cameron and his bff David Krumholtz trick rich douchebag Joey into paying scary outsider Heath Ledger to date Julia Stiles, and of course there’s the typical relationship begun on false pretenses turns to real love/”IT WAS ALL A LIE” dramatic climax and reconciliation denouement. In the end, Alex Mack beats up Joey at prom, David Krumholtz hooks up with a hardcore Shakespeare LARPer, and I downloaded the soundtrack.
That ridic highschool building, tho
Trish’s Review
This movie is still hilarious. The characters are really well-written and all four of the main protagonists grow throughout the story. The script writers, Karen McCullah and Kirsten Smith, are so clever in the way they use Shakespeare’s plot and lines but also update and turn it on its head. This movie is a feminist take on one of Shakespeare’s more misogynistic plays. Plus, it’s infinitely quotable and the music is amazing.
Rating: 5 out of 5 butterfly hairclips
Kill/Fuck/Marry: Definitely kill Joey. He’s incredibly conceited, boring, and, worst of all, only tries to date Alex Mack because he has a bet with his friends. Fuck Heath Ledger. Duh. Marry David Krumholtz because he solves everyone’s problems for no reason other than he’s a really great guy.
Steven’s Review
Somehow it wasn’t until well after the first watching that I discovered it was really just a re-telling of The Taming of the Shrew, and I’m honestly stumped at how I didn’t see it at the time. Thankfully, it’s just as good in the re-watching, years later. It’s pretty much everything I expect and want out of the teen comedy genre; typecast high school cliques, unrequited and inexplicable romance at the drop of the hat, ridiculous lack of parental oversight (apart from the main character ladies, apparently), and teens with all the apparent legal and fiscal means to do pretty much whatever a drunken 20-something might get up to. Bad guys get punched, scatological humor gets played, and all with plenty of one-liners to keep things interesting. Oh, and everyone’s favorite White House Press Secretary moonlights as an unapologetic bad erotic romance writer while apparently running a high school? Love it!
Rating: 5 out of 5 hole-sawn textbooks
Kill/Fuck/Marry:
- Kill
- This one’s hard. Like, really hard. Like, if it weren’t for the few characters I honestly like, I’d be inclined to say “Just nuke the school from orbit and spare the rest of us.” Joey’s an obvious front-runner, but I honestly had a hard time choosing between him and Cameron, the lackluster starry-eyed “nice guy.” Honestly, just let them both get hit by the same car.
- Fuck
- Ms. Perky, Alison Janney’s school counselor-cum-de-facto-principal character. She sounds like she at least knows how to describe a good time, so chances are at least even that she could back it up with the real performance.
- Marry
- The crotchety obstetrician Dad (Larry Miller). He’s clearly given up on life, but he’s also clearly got the disposable income to live comfortably, plus he’s gone most of the time, leaving you with that palatial house to yourself.
Next Up: Arrested Development!