10 Things to Hate About This Film.

Rating: 3/10 (29 May 2015)

10 Things I Hate About You (1999): Dir: Gil Junger / Cast: Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, Andrew Keegan, Larry Miller, Joseph Gordon-Levitt: Teen comedy about the things we love about people and the ways they sabotage those traits with destructive behaviour. Typical teen setting introducing sisters whose widowed father forbids dating. The popular jock pays a new student to go out with older sister while he snags the younger. Predictable formula directed by Gil Junger who elevates the genre with the right casting. Julia Stiles holds strong as a young woman graduating into adulthood and dreading it. Heath Ledger steals scenes as the misunderstood teenager who is the target for the bet. Andrew Keegan plays the scheming ex-boyfriend who wishes to exploit others. Most of the performances are solid but Larry Miller as the over protective father has a few great lines but ultimately his role is straight forward. He forbids males making claims on his daughter but we can sense that he will lighten up by film's end. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays the guy pursuing Stiles and basically screws up. Well made teen flick that isn't very demanding but it lacks the edge of superior teen flicks such as The Breakfast Club or Fast Times at Ridgemont High. I can think of ten reasons to hate this recycled teen drivel but teenagers may look past the familiarity and think of ten reasons to love it. Score: 3 ½ / 10