07 March 2008

She's All That


Title: She's All That
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Year: 1999
Cast:
  • Freddie Prinze Jr.
  • Rachael Leigh Cook
  • Paul Walker
  • Matthew Lillard
  • Jodi Lyn O'Keefe
  • Kevin Pollak
  • Anna Paquin
  • Kieran Culkin
  • Elden Henson
  • Usher Raymond
  • Kimberly 'Lil' Kim' Jones
  • Gabrielle Union
  • Dulé Hill
  • Tamara Mello



SYNOPSIS
Sixpence None the Richer - Kiss Me
Class president and soccer jock Zach Siler is not only the most popular guy in school, he also has the fourth highest GPA in his class. He goes out with Taylor Vaughn, the most popular girl in school, but she dumps him for reality show star Brock Hudson.

Zach makes a bet with his friends Dean and Preston that he can make any girl popular by dating her and make her prom queen in six weeks. Dean chooses Laney Boggs, a scary and inaccessible art major in their high school, as the girl that Zach needs to make prom queen.



REVIEW
She's All That is my favorite romantic comedy of all time because it has substance. Freddie Prinze Jr. and Rachael Leigh Cook have great chemistry in the movie. I suppose it helps that they get to play characters that are well thought-out.

Zach Siler seems to be the perfect guy but he also has worries, especially about his future such as what degree to pursue in college and which university to attend. He is an overachiever that people count on to deliver the goods, whether it be straight A grades or soccer trophies. On top of trying to become his own person and achieve his own dreams, there is immense pressure on him to meet people's expectations.

I was initially disappointed when Zach made the bet about making a girl popular by dating her, because he is being immature and too full of himself. Making the bet also seems out of character for him because he seems mature for his age.

But then again, he wouldn't have met and gotten to know Laney Boggs if he didn't make the bet so I suppose making the bet was necessary, particularly for the movie's plot development.

Laney Boggs is not really unattractive; she just didn't know what hairstyle flatters her face, she didn't know how to apply makeup, and she dresses creatively. I really want to think that Zach became attracted to her before she had her makeover where she got a different hair cut and wore a little red dress.

I have watched the movie again recently and I was surprised that the side characters suddenly break out into choreographed dancing during the prom scenes. It was not something that made an impact on me when I watched the movie back when it was released around 1998 and now I'm wondering if the choreographed dancing is unique to the movie or if it is actually standard for the movies released at the time.




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She's All That