She's All That (1999)

Zack Siler (Freddie Prinze Jr) is doing fine he's just started his last 8 weeks of high school, he's class president, he's dating the most desirable girl in high school, and they are a shoo-in for prom king and queen. Everything's good until his girlfriend arrives at school. Taylor Vaughn (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe) got a tattoo on spring break, and she is now dating Brock Hudson (Matthew Lillard), whose only claim to fame is that he's an idiot on MTV's Real World reality TV. Zack is hurt, especially when his friend Dean (Paul Walker) razzes him about it. Zack responds by claiming he can make any girl in school into the prom queen. That's the kind of statement that leads to a bet. Dean says he'll choose a girl for Zack's challenge, and he chooses Laney Boggs (Rachael Leigh Cook).

Laney is about as big an outsider as Taylor's ego. She's an artist she has been advised that many artists are more appreciated after they are dead, so she should kill herself (we all need "friends" like that, right?). She looks after her father and her brother. She's clumsy. She wears unattractive glasses. She wears no makeup. She wears overalls. She even wears a daggy hat while she works in a fast-food joint. They've pulled out all the stops to try to make the beautiful Rachael Leigh Cook look plain (they failed, but they tried hard!).

This is the predictable My Fair Lady type of story, or so it seems at first, especially when Zack's sister Mackenzie (Anna Paquin) gets involved to do a make-over on Laney. But there are some nice little twists, and they add up to a film that's different enough to be a pleasant time. Two of the interviewees mention that this film was deliberately modelled on early John Hughes films; I'm not sure I'd agree with that, but it does capture the idea of the romantic comedy / teen comedy genre to which this film belongs.

There are some interesting lesser characters in this film. We get to see Gabrielle Union and Clea DuVall as minor characters, and Sarah Michelle Gellar in a non-speaking role (she's included in a list headed "They're all that" in the end-credits). Tim Matheson, in a single real scene as Zack's father, was haggard-looking, but convincing.

All up, this is a pleasant film, and I recommend giving it a try.

Well, I have always been into these kinds of movies about the young Generation X. I heard from my teenage sister that this movie is definitely all that. So is it?  One of the reasons why I was hesitant on buying this DVD is because there is only one extra and that's the music video by Sixpence None the Richer. There is no trailer, nothing....

For DVD enthusiasts, this is not cool!

As for the movie, I enjoyed the movie. I enjoyed the dance scene during the prom. Freddie Prinze Jr. and Rachael Leigh Cook did a great job. Also, you can see a special small cameo of Buffy the Vampire Slayer star, Sarah Michelle Gellar in the cafeteria scene. This movie is a fun movie to watch, but as a DVD...there should have been more included.

The movie was fun to watch...but the DVD was just blah! No extras...no good rating! Hope Miramax remembers that if they want their DVD's to be bought that rented, they need to add more to their DVD releases.

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I love this movie! It is great because it is all fun. Most movies have annoying parts that you just don't want to watch after you have seen it a few times, not this movie, every second is great! Not only that but it has to make you happy, sure it is a little cheesy, but it ends great. Not to mention the fact that most of us were NOT the prom queen type, so this movie is especially great!

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I love this movie. While the teen movie stereotypes are always apparent in every film, "She's All That" doesn't go overboard and, surprisingly, presents a relatively realistic view of the high school social strata.

After Zach, the class president and soccer star, is very publically dumped by his "magically delicious" (and equally popular) girlfriend, Taylor, he's hard put to maintain his legacy.

Uber-jock, though a little slow, Zach's friend, Dean, bets him that he can't replace Taylor and make any girl prom queen.

Enter Laney Boggs, an art student who cares little about the social scene. Dean picks Laney as Zach's prom queen "project" and Zach has a hard time convincing Laney to even go out with him.

Meanwhile, Taylor, the ex, is dating a Real World reject who she met over spring break, but she's still catty over her "discards" and is horrible to Laney, embarassing her at a party.

The more time Zach spends with Laney, the more he starts to like her and Laney begins to open up and finds a real outlet in her art.

Dean, sensing he might be about to lose the bet, asks Laney to prom before Zach gets around to it and, a recently single Taylor, attaches herself to Zach's arm, assuming he'll take her back.

Ultimately, feelings are hurt, battle lines are drawn...and a really cool dance scence takes place at the prom.

I love the fresh comedy in the movie that is amusing for teens without being impractical or raunchy. The characters are well-developed and actually evolve in a realistic fashion (even if you are left wondering how nice-guy Zach ever dated self-absorbed Taylor Vaughn).

All-in-all, there's really nothing comparable to the teen movies like "Sixteen Candles" or "Pretty In Pink" because those are genres unto themselves, but "She's All That" is definitely a nice representation of a good, modern teen movie.

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