 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Perfect Score
- Review Date: June 27, 2004
- PG-13
- Genre: Drama
- 2004
Common Sense Media says
Not terrible, but this MTV teen movie falls flat.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie has some strong language and sexual references. Kids drink and smoke and use drugs, and there's a lot of drug humor. A teen pregnancy is also played for humor. The highly questionable morality of the basic premise is clumsily resolved.
What's the story?
THE PERFECT SCORE is a Breakfast Club-like heist movie in which a diverse group of high school seniors, each with his or her own reasons, unite to steal the answers for the SATs. Each character has two characteristics, one superficial and one hidden. That gives us Kyle (Chris Evans), the generic leading man who needs to learn what his real priorities are; Francesca (Scarlett Johansson), the offbeat chick whose wisecracks mask her vulnerability; Anna (Erika Christensen), the straight-A princess who would like to be less perfect; Roy (Leonardo Nam), the stoner with unsuspected depth; Matty (Bryan Greenburg), the best friend to everyone who needs to be a better friend to himself; and Desmond, the star athlete who can't tell his mother that he wants to skip St. Johns College and turn pro (Darius Miles).
Is it any good?
The Perfect Score was produced by MTV, which may be why it feels more like a product created by a focus group than anything involving characters or story or a point of view. The characters even mention The Breakfast Club as slacker shorthand so that no one has to think too hard, screenwriters or audience.
The film is so slackly directed it might have been assembled by a focus group. Everything that someone thought might appeal to a teen audience is thrown into the mix. We get a little romance, a little angst, a little family pressure, a little (very little) low (very low) humor, a batch of MTV-friendly soundtrack tunes, and a lot of happily ever after. It's not a bad movie; it's just not a very good one.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how each of the kids defines his or her future happiness. What is most important to them? Are they following their own dreams or just responding to the dreams or behavior of their parents?
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AGE
Perfect plan but slips up
The movie was truly great though at certain points you really see that the funniest character in the movie does pot -- not good for anyone that doesn't know what drugs are. A few verbal references to sex, not an issue, you hardly notice. Be sure to watch the last ten minutes because that's when the message finaly comes in, believe it or not. The plan was impenetrable but then .. well I won't tell. Worth every single penny and will have you interested from begening to end. So I say about 12,13 would be good for a start.
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AGE
A Great Movie
Don't be scared off by the MTV label. This is a great movie and is not the normal MTV stuff. It is much more appropriate than most. The 14+ rating is perfect.
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AGE
Stupid and Offensive
Some characters smoke drugs and steal tests. Inappropriate for kids under 14 years old. BAD MOVIE!
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| Studio: | Paramount Pictures |
| Director: | Brian Robbins |
| Cast: | Chris Evans, Erika Christensen, Scarlett Johansson |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Run time: | 98 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | January 30, 2004 |
| DVD release date: | June 29, 2004 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | language, sexual content and some drug references |
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