TMG Scale 8.0
Starring Aimee Teegarden, Thomas McDonell and a host of other “brat pack” style “up and comers”

This is genuinely a very good film despite lots of cheesy lines and some corny acting. Johnny Depp has something to worry about with Thomas McDonell. I never thought I would see another guy with Depp qualities in my lifetime, but McDonell has “big star” written all over him.

Teegarden plays “Nova”, a goody two shoes prom planner. McDonnel plays Jesse Ricter, a character faintly reminiscent of Charlie Sheen in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) or Judd Nelson as burnout John Bender in Breakfast Club (1985). Can these two opposites bridge the gap of high school cliques? There are no big surprises, but high school has basically been the same for the last 60 years and most everyone will relate.

This Disney film explores the decades old tradition of prom night. Is it a valuable night worthy of months of preparation, money and effort? Or is it way too much emphasis on one night of high expectations, often broken hearts and too much wasted money and peer pressure? As noted by one character, “Prom night is where three people have a good time and the rest leave with shattered dreams for life.” You decide for yourself. The film walks carefully down the middle.

What TMG enjoyed most was the fun and novel ways high school kids ask each other out for major dances these days. We never did this in my day, but wish we had.  Some are hilarious. Some efforts go awry. My son did this many times with mixed success.  The funniest was his novel attempt to leave live goldfish in his girlfriends locker with a note about picking her from all the fishes in the sea. Bad news is all the fish died.  It would have been a great scene in this movie.

I really enjoyed this film that actually explored high school pressures without a single F- bomb or gratuitous sex scene or death. It was refreshing.

Joy Lynn: Attention Parents!  This is an excellent film for tweens.  As TMG mentioned, there are no f-bombs, sex, drugs, or violence.  Amazing these days!!

I found the dialogue very predictable and staged, but doubt young tweens will even csre!  I don’t think this is a movie upper classmen will particularly like. It’s more for the younger ones who can relish in what it is like to go to Prom and learn about dating relationships between guys and gals.

If you were one to skip your high school Prom and take in a sport event instead, my guess is you will prefer to skip this one as well.  All others, ladies and gents alike, will find it a trip down memory lane. Color My World (1975) anyone?