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She's All That (PG-13, 1999)

common sense media says

Uneven "ugly duckling" teen flick.

parents & educators say
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie has strong language, teen drinking, and casual sex (though not by the main characters). Zach's friend brags that he is going to get Laney to have sex with him in a hotel room he has arranged for the occasion. For some reason, when Laney's friend overhears this, instead of making the stunningly obvious move of telling Laney what the guy has in mind, he races around trying to get the message to someone else. Parents should know that the movie includes an ugly and graphic scene in which a school bully torments Laney's hearing-impaired brother by reaching into his pants to grab some pubic hair and putting it on his pizza. Zach then forces the bully and his friend to eat it. Yuck.

Positive messages: Individual differences.
Violence: Fistfights, bullies.
Sex: Some casual sex, but not by main characters.
Language: Some.
Consumerism: Not applicable.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Teen drinking.
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More on She's All That

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about what parts of this movie seem realistic and what parts seem absurd.

What's the story?

What's the story?
SHE'S ALL THAT kicks off with Zach (Freddie Prinze, Jr.), the most popular and talented boy in high school, getting dumped by his beautiful but mean girlfriend. She has met an MTV-celebrity (Matthew Lillard). Zach and his best friend bet that he can take any girl in school and get her elected prom queen before the end of school. The choice is drab Laney Boggs (Rachael Leigh Cook), who is coping with her mother's death by taking care of her father and brother and by worrying about problems throughout the world instead of working through her own feelings of loss. Laney is one of the least persuasive ugly ducklings in the history of movies. She shucks her glasses and her overalls, and my goodness! She's beautiful! And my goodness! Zach finds himself actually caring for her.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
She's All That falls smack dab in the middle the "makeover movie" genre, in which Our Heroine achieves success through good grooming and accessorizing. The result here is uneven, with some good performances and even some witty commentary on teen culture, but beware -- the raunchy references make this inappropriate for younger teens, and even parents of mature high schoolers might want to consider it carefully.

The plot is almost numbingly predictable, but one of the movie's strengths it that it makes clear that Zach and Laney have both limited themselves by defining themselves before they have really had a chance to find out who they are. The movie's other strengths are Prinze, who has a wonderful screen presence and the magnificent Anna Paquin as his younger sister. Cook's performance is flat by comparison. Jodi Lyn O'Keefe is a caricature as Zach's former girlfriend, but Matthew Lillard is hilarious as a self-obsessed gross-out champion based on MTV's legendary Puck.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Miramax
Director: Robert Iscove
Cast: Freddie Prinze Jr., Matthew Lillard, Paul Walker, Rachael Leigh Cook
Genre: Comedy
Run time: 95 minutes
Theatrical release: January 29, 1999
DVD release: July 13, 1999
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: language and sexual references
This review was written by Nell Minow
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

KelandryOfTortall
teen, 17 years old
 
sooo good!
I LOVE this movie! racheal cook is an awesome actress, and she's very relateable. if you like this, then you'll also love "ten things i hate about you." You WILL love this if you are between 11+ years old.
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butterflylove2010
parent of 9 and 11 year old
14
 
High schoolers should see this movie
Their was a few sceens that I felt was too extreme and my kids are too young to see this movie but I thought it explained itself very well as to how going to school during a senior year of high school in a public school really is. I thought it was "very" realistic. That's what I liked most about it. And I thought it was based on a very good and positive moral. Everyone loves a great ending and this movie definitely has a fantastic ending. The movie was funny and romantic at the same time.
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jazzyjammrz
teen, 18 years old
 
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cindyarthur
teen, 16 years old
17
 
I thought this movie was disgusting. It was about casual sex, teen drinking, and teenagers using terrible language.
I can't believe what Hollywood is making these days. It has casual sex, drinking and bad language. No wonder kids are so sqrewed up these days. Unforturately my 13 year old watched it at a friend's house so I had no control. Pubic hair on a pizza and somebody ate it. What is wrong with this society. It makes me sick!
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ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
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