Dangereuse séduction

A nerdy teen, Ryan Woodman (Shane West) is smitten with the popular and gorgeous Ashley Grant (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe), who apparently has no interest in him. Meanwhile, dim star athlete Chris Campbell (James Franco) has his eye on Ryan's brainy and beautiful friend, Maggie Carter (Marla Sokoloff). The two agree to help each other in their romantic quests, but, as they come closer to their goals, both Ryan and Chris suspect that they might be pursuing the wrong girls.

As you can tell, "Whatever It Takes" is certainly nothing new or ground-breaking, but for what it is, it's entertaining and slightly above-average. James Franco is the best thing about this movie, although his character and their motive is very questionable. He's what kept me sticking around until the credits roll. The film has every teen cliché in the book, geeky sidekicks in Whatever It Takes are no better or worse than those in a dozen other teen movies of recent vintage, but they get the job done. Despite its flaws there's something sweet and delightfully anarchic about it, it's light, fluffy, fast-paced, and through the use of overdone ideas are a couple original moments. So despite its formulaic plot and all-too-tired themes, this John Hughes-movie wannabe has just enough quirky charm to compensate for its generic story.

I thought this film had some really funny moments and good lines. Marla Sokoloff was perfect for his role, and so was James Franco, who looks as cocky as his character in the film is. The other actress Jodie was played over the top, because she has all these hissy fits which can be funny to watch or annoying. Overall good job but the ending is dumb

The only part of WIT it takes I liked was the set, Maggie and Ryan's balconies. That was cool, plus it had the opportunity to say the one funny part of the film was when Ryan jumps onto her porch and Maggie says the line [not gonna say it if people are reading this who haven't seen the movie]. Much better versions of this storyline were "Never Been Kissed", "She's All That" and the aforementioned "10 Things". I must admit, I was a little confused why they put great actors like Kip Pardue and Christine Lakin in bit parts while Jodi Lyn O'keefe and James Franco were starring.

Ryan Woodman (Shane West) and Maggie Carter (Marla Sokoloff) are best friends and neighbors. Floyd (Aaron Paul) is their slacker friend. Ryan is obsessed with high school goddess Ashley Grant (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe). Big man on campus Chris Campbell (James Franco) wants to get the one he can't get, the virginal enigmatic Maggie. So he needs Ryan to Cyrano DeBergerac for him. In return he proposes to do the same for Ryan with his cousin Ashley.

The biggest problem is that Shane West is way too good looking for the loser role. They need somebody much more geeky, and a bad haircut really doesn't make it. It's nothing offensive, but it just can't rise above the clichés. It's obvious where this is going, and it has an uncomfortable time getting there.

Whatever it takes is bad, silly, predictable, stupid, and romantic, in exactly the ways it's supposed to be. It follows formula to a tee. Good production quality. The beautiful people are very, and the nerds are unmistakable. Teen gross outs. Hot fashions. Adolescent fantasy at its finest. Both a one and a ten at the same time, I have to give it a five.