Nota Máxima

I think that this film was missing many things in making it good. It was your average teen film with nothing special. Plot was kind of like that of the movie Cheaters. The movie was borderline R rated. The only pluses were the stoned guy the whole film and Scarlett who is quickly becoming one of my favorite actresses. If you must see this film go into it with no thought and you may actually like it. Or you could just go see it for the only two good things mentioned above.

"The Perfect Score" aspires to be like a John Hughes film (Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, etc.) but falls short...way short. Telling of six High School seniors who, faced with having to take the SAT's, decide to steal the answers to the test's questions only to have epiphanies go off like flash bulbs as they just sort of realize that crime doesn't pay and careers don't either when one has cheat their way to the top. The result is an awkward and stiff dramedy fusion of cliches and stereotypes sorely lacking in the creativity, imagination, and inspiration which teen flick maestro Hughes brought to his hit films. Passable and forgettable stuff only a teen could love. Adults might want to check out the much more provocative TV flick "Cheaters 2000" instead. (C)

Of course, this isn't great citizen kane style cinema, but this movie is fun to watch, especially if you are in the target demographic like me. This is a typical teen/college movie, minus the grossness of movies like American pie. If you liked "Better luck tomorrow" (also distributed by MTV films), then I think you will like this one. I have to say that "better luck tomorrow" was a much, much, better teen scam/heist movie, but this one rolls along merrily. The script isn't really well done, but it has a few good jokes, like "If they make it into a movie, I wonder who'll play me...I hope your hung like a horse." Scarlet Johansson is great, as always, even with this auto-pilot acting.(like in eight legged feaks, but tha's what I like about Scarlet. She switches from camp/kitch/crap to great movies without any difficulty) The movie is perfect for when you're way to stressed because of your exams at college, like me today.

There's lots of clichés and stereotypes to endure when watching a high school movie. For the most of it, The Perfect Score manages to avoid most of these clichés though the characters are a bit stereotypical. There's the brainy kid, the rebel, the stoner, the loser, the jock and the good guy. Hardly a breathtaking assortment of originals eh?

But their plan to steal the SAT scores and their interaction together are what make this movie worthwhile. The unimaginative marketing for this movie claims it to be Ocean's 11 meets The Breakfast Club. But the actors are carrying the movie, doing the best they can with weak material, rather than the 'wild' premise.

I especially liked Roy, the stoner and narrator as he got the most back story and had more a character arc than the rest of them. And it was pleasant to have the lovely, oh-so-cute Erika Christensen though I'm not too fussed about Scarlett Johansen (she looks like a teenage version of my mother!). A non-Shaggy, but still manic, Matthew Lillard has a small role as a concerned big brother.

You'll not remember it 5 minutes after the credits role but for a non-threatening, easy-going movie The Perfect Score fits nicely. You could do a helluva lot worse. And what else do you expect from an MTV movie?

The DVD is in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen with lackluster Dolby 5.1, though to be fair it mostly a dialogue-driven movie. There are a bunch of fluff features for those who care.

Despite its relatable subject matter, The Perfect Score delivers a less than perfect portrayal of the well-documented issue of standardized tests. Yes, the film takes a more light-hearted approach on purpose (and kudos to the Matrix reference scene), but it feels like the film is dancing in the shallow end of a very deep body of water. There are a number of hot topics that are quickly glossed over, and the moral of the story becomes glaringly obvious way too early.

All that being said, there are a few chuckles and it's fun to see some A-list celebs when they were younger. You'll just need to look past the cheesy romance, sub-par acting, and unrealistic plot points to get the most out of it. Any secret hopes you have that this is a high school version Ocean's Eleven movie should be dampered.

Verdict: Watch.