John Tucker Must Die (PG-13, 2006)

In JOHN TUCKER MUST DIE, John (Jesse Metcalfe) is stereotypical big man on campus, basketball star, and pathological cheater. Three of John's most recent squeezes -- head cheerleader Heather (Ashanti), blond techie Beth (Sophia Bush), and dark-haired-vegan Carrie (Arielle Kebbel) -- decide to teach him a lesson. So, they recruit new student Kate (Brittany Snow) as bait. Apparently damaged by her "totally hot" mom's (Jenny McCarthy) bad experiences with men, Kate agrees to seduce John and then dump him harshly. Obviously, this is a bad idea. Deploying the latest technology (bra-mounted cameras, mics, and monitors), not to mention mega-doses of estrogen, the girls repeatedly confront their target's strangely immutable popularity: When John cries in public, girls love his sensitivity; when he dons a thong, boys line up to wear them too, as it demonstrates their own avant-garde taste.

Beginning with the fact that every "student" is visibly too old to be in high school, this film is out of joint. Its plot is drawn from any number of sources, including Mean Girls and The Perfect Man, with a dash of Heathers as well. The result is that Betty Thomas' movie strains to be sweet but also cynical, without satisfying on either count.

The main characters constantly indulge in sex-chatter and mildly trashy behavior, giddily exploring their deceitful powers. (Ostensibly, this is what it means to be an adult, as Kate's mother's experiences suggest.) Kate does meet an honest boy she likes but treats him badly as she pursues her aim to "get" John. The fact that the guy is John's younger brother seems an unnecessary complication: oh the insidiousness of high school comedies! Though everyone supposedly learns the value of honesty, the film closes with the song that spells out their priorities: "I want you to want me." The poor students in this high school are caught up, no matter which way they turn.