Shop Ireland

She's All That [DVD] [1999] starring: Anna Paquin, Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, Rachael Leigh Cook, Freddie Prinze Jr., Kevin Pollak

Click to tell a friend about this item...

Publisher: 4dvd
Release date: 17th March, 2008
Media: DVD

Format

• PAL

Similar Products

• Down To You [DVD] [2000]
• Never Been Kissed [1999] [DVD]
• 10 Things I Hate About You [DVD] [1999]
• Drive Me Crazy [2000] [DVD]
• Boys And Girls [DVD] [2000]
• See more...

Editorial Review

This charming update of Pygmalion (by way of the John Hughes oeuvre, most notably Pretty in Pink) rode the crest of the late-1990s wave of immensely popular teen films (Varsity Blues, etc.), thanks primarily to the immense charisma of its two leads, Freddie Prinze Jr. and Rachael Leigh Cook. When school star Zach (Prinze)--who's a jock, smart and popular--gets dumped by vacuous Taylor (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe) after spring break, he's left dateless for the all-important prom. With a little goading from his less-than-sensitive best friend (hunky Paul Walker), he bets that he can make any girl into prom queen a mere eight weeks before the dance. The object of their wager, misfit Laney (Cook), a gawky art student too busy with her paintings and taking care of her brother and dad to worry about school politics. However, after a couple of looks from Zach, and a few dates that reveal him to be a hunk of substance, Laney's armour begins to melt--and her stock at school soars. Soon enough, she's the lone candidate for prom queen against the bitchy and relentless Taylor.

What elevates She's All That above the realm of standard teen fare is its mixture of good-natured fairy-tale romance and surprisingly clear-eyed view of high-school social strata. The lines of class are demarcated as clearly as if in a Jane Austen novel, but the satire is equally deflating and affectionate. Sure, high school could be bad sometimes, but it was lots of fun too; this is a movie good-natured enough to take time out for an extended hip-hop dance number at the prom. Director Robert Iscove has also assembled a great young cast, including a scene-stealing Anna Paquin as Zach's no-nonsense sister, Kieran Culkin as Laney's geeky brother and a stupidly goofy Matthew Lillard as a Real World cast member whose arrival shakes things up a little too much. And amid all the comedy and prom drama, you'd be hard-pressed to find two teen stars as talented, attractive and appealing as Prinze and Cook. Prinze is an approachable and sensitive jock, though it's Cook who's the true star, investing Laney with confidence, humour and heart. Like Zach, you'll be hard-pressed not to fall in love with her. By the story's end, both Cook and the film will have charmed the socks off of you. --Mark Englehart, Amazon.com

Click here to add a review!

Average rating - (more reviews)

Rating: - Absolutely Fab!

This movie is soo good. The change of the geek to hottie, who ends up falling for the popular guy has been done before, but this is a movie worth watching. It is so romantic, funny, and just lovely to watch... a teen flick that is up there with American Pie. Arrived 2 days after I ordered it. Great delivery date.

Rating: - fab!!!!

i thought this was going to be another typical teen film, boy i was wrong. its basically about the most popular boy in school gets dumped by his girlfriend, then he makes a bet with his friends that he can make anyone become the homecoming queen.
of course his friends picks the most nerdy, gorky looking girl for the bet the rest is as it usually is, boy makes nerd popular and gorgeous and ends up falling in love with her. i would recommend this film to anyone i loved it buy its a must

Rating: - Good film but not a teen flick at it's best

Needless to say I was bored last night and switched on the tv to find that this film was on. On finding out that Freddie Prinze Jnr was in it I decided to give it go, it is worth watching but not something I would jump out of my seat for. The plot is fairly typical as far as American teen romances are concerned. Freddie plays popular jock Zac whilst in contrast Laney Boggs is a social misfit and Zac reckons he can turn her into a prom queen in six weeks after being dumped by bitchy Taylor. The acting is average, with Prinze Jnr and Culkin being the exceptions. At times there are attempts at humour and the chemistry between the two leads is notable, however I would recommend watching this if you have a spare 90 minutes or so or you love Teen flicks!

Rating: - She's All That

When one is not the intended market audience for a teen-romantic comedy, it's very hard to decide if you're giving it a fair review, as there's no doubt that some of the elements in the film didn't mean as much to me today as they may have done several years back. But even taking that into consideration I don't feel this was a particularly good example.

Zach Siler (Freddie Prinze Jr.) is the Prom King elect at his high school, his current girlfriend and favourite for the title of Prom Queen is the bitchy Taylor Vaughan (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe). But just when everyone thinks that this most perfect couple are a sure fire bet to carry off the main prizes at the up and coming Prom, Taylor ditches Zach for a crass MTV Presenter Brock Hudson (Matthew Lillard)

Challenged by his friends to find a new potential Prom Queen in time for the big party the loud jocks pick on Laney Boggs (Rachael Leigh Cook) a mousey wallflower with a reputation for being anti-social and slightly weird.

And so we have another adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion as Zach attempts to make a suitable Prom date out of Laney. Needless to say both of the main characters discover sides to themselves they didn't know existed and the ending is all too obvious.

There are some bits in the film that do work very well, Kieran Culkin puts in a good turn as Laney's kid brother and there are some excellent bitchy one liners thrown between the main characters. Similarly the scene when the football team come to clean up Laney's house whilst her father watches Jeopardy is very amusing.

Alas though these gems are few are far between and the film has much too much of clichéd hackneyed scenes that we've seen before. There's no surprises in the film, as soon as we first see Laney we know she's beautiful, even before her transformation from ugly duckling to swan that much is obvious, roll on the day the directors of such a film are really brave enough to use a plain girl in such a role. We know the two leads are going to fall for each other, the same as we know how the Prom scene is going to end.

It's not terrible and as I say, I dare say that a younger viewer than me will appreciate the film more, but there are better made, funnier and sweeter teen comedies out there.

Rating: - You will love it... buy it now

at first i thought this was going to be your typical teen movie, that had bad acting and stupid storyline, but its not. ditched by his girlfriend for a reality tv star zack bets his best mate that he can turn any girl into prom queen in 6weeks. the girl picked is laney boggs, she is rude, doesnt talk to anyone and hides away from the world. however when she is turned into a beautiful young lady, zack develops true feelings for her. but what will happen when she finds out the truth? unlike some teen comedies this is fun, sassy and very well written and acted. you will love this film.

Review Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 Next »

Browse Categories

• - All Comedy
• - Romantic
• - Channel 4
• - DVDs from £4.97
• - DVD
• - 12
• - Standard Edition
• - Region 2
• - 1990 - 1999
• - English