Not Another Teen Movie
3/4
Starring: Chris Evans, Chyler Leigh, Jamie Pressly, Eric Christian Olsen, Deon Richmond, Mia Kirshner, Eric Jungmann, Ron Lester
The version being reviewed is the unrated one. For the record, the theatrical cut is rated R for Strong Crude Sexual Content and Humor, Language and Some Drug Content
I'm almost ashamed to admit that I liked this movie. I laughed, and laughed, and laughed. I'm ashamed to admit it because the humor is so dumb. I mean really dumb. Now, "Scary Movie," which brought the spoof genre back to life (to which we owe Friedberg and Selzter's careers to), was not known for sophisticated humor. But compared to this, it was in Merchant/Ivory territory (if they ever made a sex comedy). This stuff is so stupid and brainless that I'm surprised that I was laughing all the way through it. Oh well.
It's really pointless to discuss the plot, since that's the least important part of any spoof. "Not Another Teen Movie" rips every popular teen movie from the the 80's and 90's to shreds. The main plotline skewers "She's All That," a romantic comedy that I remember liking. Other teen movies like "Bring it On," "Varsity Blues," "Cruel Intentions," and "Pretty in Pink" get their dues, as does "American Pie." Even "West Side Story" takes its lumps.
It takes real skill to satirize a comedy, but director Joel Gallen knows what he's doing. He doesn't satirize the jokes, only the behavior of the characters in those movies. Like in "Scary Movie," the characters know their roles in these kinds of movies (such as Malik, played with zest by Deon Richmond, who knows he is only there to say racial cliches) and offer commentary on them.
As dumb as most of the humor is (most of it is just slapstick and self-aware humor), there's some clever stuff here and there. In a satire of "Pretty in Pink," unseen by me, Ricky Lipman (Jungmann) tries desperately (a word I emphasize tremendously) to confess his feelings to Janey Briggs (Leigh), but she always exits the conversation inadvertently before he can. These scenes are really well written, and Jungmann has a gift for physical comedy.
When it's satirizing the cliches of the teen movies, the film is almost always funny. When it's satirizing the movie plots or key scenes, it's on less sure ground. The bits that skewer "Cruel Intentions," for example, aren't as funny (mainly because the movie was so funny to begin with). There are a few dead spots towards the end, and some of what passes for acting borders on painful (Evans and Olsen in particular). There are also some good performances too. Chyler Leigh is a dead ringer for Rachel Leigh Cook, and understands the concept of comic timing, and Mia Kirshner gives Sarah Michelle Gellar a run for the money in terms of playing an ice cold bitch.
Look, this is not great art. But if you like to laugh, this is time well spent.
Starring: Chris Evans, Chyler Leigh, Jamie Pressly, Eric Christian Olsen, Deon Richmond, Mia Kirshner, Eric Jungmann, Ron Lester
The version being reviewed is the unrated one. For the record, the theatrical cut is rated R for Strong Crude Sexual Content and Humor, Language and Some Drug Content
I'm almost ashamed to admit that I liked this movie. I laughed, and laughed, and laughed. I'm ashamed to admit it because the humor is so dumb. I mean really dumb. Now, "Scary Movie," which brought the spoof genre back to life (to which we owe Friedberg and Selzter's careers to), was not known for sophisticated humor. But compared to this, it was in Merchant/Ivory territory (if they ever made a sex comedy). This stuff is so stupid and brainless that I'm surprised that I was laughing all the way through it. Oh well.
It's really pointless to discuss the plot, since that's the least important part of any spoof. "Not Another Teen Movie" rips every popular teen movie from the the 80's and 90's to shreds. The main plotline skewers "She's All That," a romantic comedy that I remember liking. Other teen movies like "Bring it On," "Varsity Blues," "Cruel Intentions," and "Pretty in Pink" get their dues, as does "American Pie." Even "West Side Story" takes its lumps.
It takes real skill to satirize a comedy, but director Joel Gallen knows what he's doing. He doesn't satirize the jokes, only the behavior of the characters in those movies. Like in "Scary Movie," the characters know their roles in these kinds of movies (such as Malik, played with zest by Deon Richmond, who knows he is only there to say racial cliches) and offer commentary on them.
As dumb as most of the humor is (most of it is just slapstick and self-aware humor), there's some clever stuff here and there. In a satire of "Pretty in Pink," unseen by me, Ricky Lipman (Jungmann) tries desperately (a word I emphasize tremendously) to confess his feelings to Janey Briggs (Leigh), but she always exits the conversation inadvertently before he can. These scenes are really well written, and Jungmann has a gift for physical comedy.
When it's satirizing the cliches of the teen movies, the film is almost always funny. When it's satirizing the movie plots or key scenes, it's on less sure ground. The bits that skewer "Cruel Intentions," for example, aren't as funny (mainly because the movie was so funny to begin with). There are a few dead spots towards the end, and some of what passes for acting borders on painful (Evans and Olsen in particular). There are also some good performances too. Chyler Leigh is a dead ringer for Rachel Leigh Cook, and understands the concept of comic timing, and Mia Kirshner gives Sarah Michelle Gellar a run for the money in terms of playing an ice cold bitch.
Look, this is not great art. But if you like to laugh, this is time well spent.
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