Love Don't Cost a Thing (PG-13, 2003)

Unsatisfied with his nerdy reputation, Alvin Johnson (Nick Cannon) takes dramatic steps to become popular before he graduates from high school. Alvin has saved up enough money to complete the engine he's building to win a contest for a full college scholarship. Meanwhile, popular girl Paris Morgan (Christina Milian) needs exactly the same amount of money to fix her mom's car, which she wrecked. So Alvin makes a deal: Paris must pretend to date him for two weeks. Paris soon transforms Alvin into "Al", who dresses in expensive clothes and hangs out on the "Elite" corridor at school. Gradually, Paris and Al become friends, each finding strength in the other's advice and support. But power goes to Alvin's head and he jeopardizes everything -- including his friendships and his scholarship -- when he places his newly found popularity above all else.

This update of the 1987 hit Can't Buy Me Love has an African-American cast, but unfortunately this otherwise mediocre bit of cinematic fluff adds some painfully inappropriate plot devices that bring what little energy the movie had to a crashing halt. It's awkward and unpleasant, even smarmy, particularly offensive in a movie for this age group. The only scenes that seem unforced and natural are when Alvin and Paris are on their own, and only because of Christina Milian.

Troy Beyer's awkward direction is another distraction. She shoots the big "son, no matter what, I've always been proud of you" scene lit from below as if Alvin and his father had accidentally wandered onto the set of a Spielberg movie. Even the final "love me as I am" scene when Alvin declares who he is to the applause of the crowd falls flat.

Studio: Warner Bros.
Director: Troy Beyer
Cast: Christina Milian, Kenan Thompson, Nick Cannon
Genre: Comedy
Run time: 101 minutes
Theatrical release: December 12, 2003
DVD release: April 27, 2004
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: sexual content/humor