Junto a ti

I went to this film expecting it to be just a formula teen film. It does have formula to it -- such as ending with the big dance -- but it actually has some interesting ideas too. It is about the images that people hide behind, the distortions that they manufacture to escape from painful reality.

One symbolic scene takes place in a carnival fun house with mirrors that twist and pull reflections into any shape the person wants. This of course is the metaphor for what is happening with all the characters. Another interesting bit of symbolism is the MTV-like video showing the zombie-like behavior of the high school in-crowd compared to images of animals and Nazi rallies.

Yes, it's a teen romantic comedy, but it actually has some real thought in it, and the talented cast play characters that show some depth. The film is a pleasant surprise.

Nicole Maris (Melissa Joan Hart) is the popular girl in school. Chase Hammond (Adrian Grenier) is the activist troublemaker. It's their senior year. The next door neighbors and former friends don't get along any more. The centennial of the school is coming up. She and her friends are planning the prom. He and his friends are causing mayhem. Nicole is rejected by clueless jock Brad in the traditional popular pairing in favor of true love for a cheerleader from another school. Chase is dumped by girlfriend Dulcie (Ali Larter) for an animal activist. Nicole comes up with a scheme to date Chase to make Brad jealous. Chase accepts it to make Dulcie jealous.

Hart and Grenier are photogenic early twenty somethings with plenty of charisma. They bring a nice appeal to this teen high school dramedy. Despite being best known for the popliscious Britney Spears song, it takes a couple of deep dives. It does leave the movie uneven in tone at times. This is nothing ground breaking but it's passable for the genre. The two leads make it work.

It's a teen movie. It's not meant to be analized.

The concept was fairly original. Scheming Teen Socialite plots to get a dream date for the school Centennial Dance (NOT the prom, as most descriptions say) and it falls through at the last minute. Her next door neighbor and childhood former best friend is dumped by his girlfriend. The two of them pretend to be a couple to make their former significant others jealous and ward off the scorn of their friends. She makes him over in her immage (of course: "If you want to get results, you have to go to extremes!").In the process she learns a little from him as well and they fall in love. The movie also has a cast of secondary characters who are interesting.

This isn't Shakespare, folks! It shouldn't be analized to death. It's fun and entertaining. Sit down and watch it and leave the cliff's notes at school.

The actors were great (It's nice to see that Melissa can play something besides Sabrina). Adrian Greere and the rest of the cast were great too.

The soundtrack was great as well. Get the CD: (You Drive Me) Crazy, Unforgetful You, I Want It That Way, It's All Been Done, Stranded, Faith in You, Is This Really Happening To Me, Steps, Hammer To The Heart, One For Sorrow, Sugar, Regret, Original, Help Me Save The Youth of America from Exploding, and we can't forget "Keep on Loving You" by the teen girl rocker group "The Donnas".

You can get this movie for $5.88 at Wal-Mart!

Nicole (Melissa Joan Hart) has her eye on a hunky basketball star. She makes the overtures but he casts his gaze on a cheerleader instead. Nicole has been the major planner for an upcoming community dance and now her choice of dates is taken! Meanwhile, next door neighbor, Chase, has been dumped by his eccentric girlfriend. He's sad. Melissa cooks up a compromise. If Chase will pretend to be her guy to make the basketball star jealous, she will do the same for him and his ex. But, first Melissa insists on giving Chase a makeover. Will their schemes result in mutual benefits? And, what about Nicole's absentee father? Will he ever be interested in his daughter's happenings? This movie would make a nice conversation starter for high school teens. Besides its entertainment value, it has some good messages and quandaries about what it means to be in the "in crowd" and the "out crowd". The stars are quite good looking and have good acting abilities, especially Adrian Grenier. Typical but nice costumes and settings compliment the film, too. If you would like a movie to watch with your teenage daughter or son about self worth and choices in life, this movie would be beneficial. And, you both just might end up giggling and touched.

I suppose there is not much one should expect from a teen comedy and that is exactly why I went to see the film. I wanted something light and entertaining. But even if you were as tired and sleepy as I was when I went, you could not fail to notice how shallow it was. The female protagonist could not convince me at any stage that she was the popular, active, fashion victim girl who expected to go the the ball with the most popular guy at school. She is fine as Sabrina, but she was just plain and uninteresting here... The rest of the cast was alright, the plot was predictable. The only character well played was Dulcie, although she takes part in the dullest moment of the movie when she and Nicole are together in the lab and Nicole reveals to her how the protagonist's mother had died but somehow the whole episode is just dull. The only thing that made me laugh was the video one of the students prepared where he was ridiculing everyone. Nothing special, nothing horrible, a pretty painless watch....