She's All That (1999)

Sadly Over-hyped

Instant Favorite.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Very nice playful film that is not all rah rah and moralistic. Our heroïne was actually better looking with the glasses. Beside, it's ridiculous to remove the glasses to someone that needs them. Same with eyebrow plucking. That was not a makeover, but a makeunder. Otherwise, the film is somewhat realistic, nothing over the top, all cute, with the cute song of the year, and amusing all along without being hilarious. Fun, smiles. Great cameo by Sarah Michelle Gellar!! My heart almost stopped.

Here's one of the better teen comedies, I enjoyed much more than I thought I would. Starring some upcoming stars, some of them who sadly faded into obscurity, much the same way as the ones did from American Pie, my only regret, was I should of seen this film fifteen years early. Of course my reason for watching this, was for the late Paul Walker, who I must admit, didn't do a bad job here, playing a real a..hole, typically un Walker'ish. Although there are a few clichéd moments as in the progression of the story, I still found this really entertaining, the transformation, staircase scene, that was later mocked in Not Another Teen movie, another one. The unoriginal premise has popular jock, Zack, Freddie Prince Junior, dumped by queen of popularity/vaingloried stuck up/bitch, Taylor. Now Freddie is given a wager, by friend, Dean, a sort of meathead, to change a chosen dork Walker's girl of choice), nerd, geek, rah rah rah, into the prom queen. Plain Jane, Rachel Leigh Cook, is the transformed one, where Zack, of course falls in love with her, but a bets a bet. We know how the rest of the story plays out, but the film's smart script, adds a lot of funny touches, like Laney's after school hobby, an artist venting group. Too, is a reality show starring Taylor's new love, jock idiot (Matthew Lillard), a kind of Vincent Cassell looking guy, who in one scene, makes such an a.. of himself, it was even embarrassing, watching from my end. Check out his bedroom. Here's one 99 film you must really see, a light hearted teen comedy, you can watch a few times. It has some revenge too that I liked: consult Duval's new appearance, and Walker's deafened ears. I like Freddie Prince Junior too. He has a charisma, or magnetism about his presence, where I never really found him impressive as an actor, more someone who got lucky. Pollack is fun as Cook's pool installer father, while Animal House's Matheson, popping back on the screen as Zack's father, marked a nice return to the big screen. Don't knock this one.

For all the people complaining that Rachel Leigh Cook is pretty anyway, that's the whole point. Zach does not change Laney; she was always pretty but just didn't give herself the chance. This isn't a film about turning an ugly girl into a pretty girl; rather a film about putting yourself out there and allowing yourself to be pretty. To pick an unattractive actress to transform would send out the message that the only way you will ever be accepted is if you tart yourself up.The premise is quite thin and perhaps a more severe transformation would have been more entertaining but Freddie Prince Junior, as Zach, the jock who makes a bet that he can't transform the geekiest girl in the school Laney (Rachel Leigh Cook) into prom queen is charismatic and has nice chemistry with Cook. There are also some entertaining minor characters, such as Zach's sister (played by Anna Paquin) and Laney's brother.There is one gross-out scene that feels a little out of place in what is quite a gentle story about coming out from your shell; I wouldn't really describe this as a rom-com. Still, it's a good film to watch on a Friday night with a couple of friends, and it has some good morals.

"She's All That" (1999) is a school dramedy/romance flick -- more drama than comedy -- about a pretty, but outcast, mousy girl (Rachael Leigh Cook) who suddenly has a couple of popular guys interested in taking her to the prom (Freddie Prinze Jr. and Paul Walker). Their motivations are questionable and it stirs up the hot vixen of the school (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe). Matthew Lillard, Anna Paquin and Lil Kim are also featured.The cast is great and this is a worthy story about a social outcast coming out of hiding, so to speak. But the potential depth of the plot needed fleshed-out more and the film's just too sentimental for my tastes -- numerous moments where characters share deep feelings, etc. Don't get me wrong, I can get into some share-your-feelings type scenes, but I didn't care enough about the characters here to make it meaningful or engrossing.Still, the message is good and the main cast members are superb. Plus there's no raunch, which is refreshing. Those who enjoy sentimentality will appreciate it more than I did.The film runs 95 minutes and was shot in the greater Los Angeles area (Redondo Beach, Malibu, Torrance and Cerritos).GRADE: C+ or B-