The Clique

As a fan of The Clique Series, I was very curious to see this movie. Mainly because the entire world of Massie Block, her exclusive clique and Claire Lyons is so relatable. The actors were not very well-known, it was going straight to DVD and there wasn't much of a hype for it. And like many novels turned into movies I expected the worst. However after watching it all, I realized it wasn't half bad. Not amazing (or "ah-mazing") but still tolerable. And the acting was pretty good for teen actors who are starring in their first movie. In my opinion, the actors did a good job of embracing their characters - despite how some did not exactly fit the descriptions entirely. The script even stayed mostly true to the story. There were only a few things I was disappointed with though. First, even though the acting was tolerable, it wasn't always up to par. At times I found what they were doing to come off as forced, as if they didn't really know what they were saying. And sometimes there was just too much yelling I couldn't take it. Second the setting of the school (OCD) disappointed me greatly. I expected a wealthy, stylish prep school, decorated and all. But I guess there's only so much you can do with a school hallway. Despite the negative things though, I really enjoyed the high end fashion. It was a good break from the usual we see on the streets everyday. But, sadly, it's not the clothing that makes a movie. All in all, I would recommend this to my friends, other teenagers who want a good laugh or style ideas. Or even pre-teens looking forward to junior high. It may not be the next "Mean Girls", and sure the acting is so-so but it was certainly better than expected.

I held very low expectations for this movie, as the book was no where near READABLE to me. For one thing the plot is so unrelatable. How many girls watching this movie are white, "beautiful", rich, mean, and "smart". Umm, can you say NONE? No girl ,that I know of, is as mean and heartless as Massie Block and her pathetic "Sheep Committee". Obviously, the author was going for an exaggerated depiction of what "cool, rich girls who go to Private School" are like. The acting was annoying, amateur, and unbelievable, as are the characters in the book. I find it very painful to watch such a clueless "sweet" little new girl get walked over by a bunch of rude wannabes. I mean, honestly, I think you know when someone isn't your friend. The movie is fairly predictable, and fulfills the low expectation meter. So, I guess if you loved the book, you'll like the movie.

Cringy but also entertaining. I feel like a lot of the main characters were miscast. If you read this adapted YA series, then you know (such as Alicia and Dylan). The film plays out like a low budget film meant for TV and feels campy, but also satirizing school cliques and social dynamics of an all-girls private prep school. It's definitely a guilty pleasure of mine to watch because a lot of the acting is amateurish, but I think the actresses portraying Claire Lyons and Massie Block do slowly disappear in their roles (a good thing) the more the film progresses. Basically, the more the film edges toward its conclusion it increases in quality. And I can only imagine what a sequel film would've looked like with the same cast and the improvements that could've been executed plot-wise, wasted potential honestly or maybe the production team had no budget for more sequels of the novels.

Spoiled rich girl Massie (an excellent Elizabeth McLaughlin) gets a literal wake up call when her dad announces that their guest house will be occupied by his college buddy and his family. This family includes a daughter named Claire (Ellen Marlow), who is the same age as Massie. Massie, the head of a seventh grade clique called The Pretty Committee, does not like this newcomer at all. A rivalry between the two girls begins. Will they ever be friends?

Although many viewers of this teen movie will surely predict the outcome, it provides enough laughs and drama to please most of the young girls the film is aimed at. I personally felt for Claire, even when she stooped to sending false e-mails to Massie's friends. (Haven't we all done something awful like this that we later regretted?) My favorite member of The Pretty Committee is Alicia (Samantha Boscarino), a shopaholic who is as idiotic as she is beautiful.

The film was based on a series of novels by Lisi Harrison, which I never heard of prior to watching this movie. As with many book to film adaptations, there will always be (probably rightly) those who prefer the book to the movie. Still, to pass on this movie just because it's not like the book would be a crime. There are many movies I saw before reading the book, and after I did read it I became a fan of both versions.

The Clique is definitely worth the 87 minutes it lasts.

The Clique is by no means a revolutionary movie, in fact when my sister first got the DVD, I immediately avoided it thinking that it would be just like Angus and Thongs, Mean Girls, and Wildchild. A generic, run of the mill film for teenage girls who don't know any better.

Make no mistake, that is exactly what this movie is, however, it does it very well. The characters are extremely easy to identify with, the plot is engaging without being convoluted, and the young actors are extremely talented. I never found myself laughing out loud, but this is definitely a movie which leaves you smiling on the inside.

The film is excellent, and it certainly doesn't try to be what it's not. It sticks to the formula, and pulls it off extremely well. If you're going to see a teenage girl flick, make it this one. -Auskeek