Reviews Film / Clueless

Film Bleah

I have no words for the stupidity that I just witnessed. That was an absolute nightmare in all respects, one of the worst movies I've ever seen. Let's count the ways:

• It was cliched.: This is probably the biggest one - I don't think I've ever seen so many cliches in one place. It's possible that it's a case of Sienfeld Is Unfunny, but I sort of doubt it - I could tell where ever conversation and every scene was going before it got there, with only a couple of small exceptions. The character development was equally shallow, with every character in the movie, without exception, being some sort of stereotype. Which brings me to my next point:
• The characters were shallow as fuck.: As I said before, every single character could be chalked up to a stereotype. This would be fine if it were just a couple minor characters, but it applies to everyone: we have the Bratty Teenage Daughter, the Black Best Friend (doubles with Angry Black Woman), the awkward new girl, the Overprotective Dad (doubles with the rich lawyer), and an extremely racist caricature for the black girl's boyfriend. None of these stereotypes are treated with any depth, but rather as a way of getting a cast that the viewer will be instantly familiar with. It's nothing you've never seen before.
• The plot was scattered: After watching the first hour of the movie (it was all I could stand), I have no idea what it was supposed to be about. A lesson about letting people be who they are? Began with the awkward new girl, but forgotten a half-hour in. (And it would be ineffective, anyway.) Cher trying to get good grades? Reduced to a sub-plot in the first ten minutes, never appeared again. Cher's relationship troubles? Resolved when I stopped. It's about nothing at all, and the storytelling couldn't have been more ineffective.
• It feels incredibly dated: Everything about this movie screams The Nineties. I can forgive the occasional dated culture reference or style choice, but the slang... dear lord, it was painful.

There's more, but I only have 400 words. The point is, this was an incredibly cliched, incredibly shallow movie that I wouldn't recommend to anyone. Anyone!

Film I enjoyed it.

A 90s high school adaptation of Emma. It's excellent, and the character of Emma/Cher is perfectly adapted. If you like the original novel, you'll get a kick out of this movie. It doesn't take itself too seriously, so it's a comedy more than a drama, which works in its favour. You can't take the characters of regency England and put them in rich person California without being a bit silly about it.