Newsflash: an intelligent teen movie

Rating: 8/10 (3 September 2013)

Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger elevate what could have been just another high school movie to something really interesting. Stiles' character is not just a bitter shrew: with some tough life experiences -- her mother leaving, a horrible previous boyfriend -- she has reason to be. Ledger's character, as the new boy in town, with nothing to lose, takes outrageous risks and is sneaky in his manipulation of his new classmates, but later shows a very tender side in trying to woo the Stiles character and not taking advantage of her. One scene I didn't like was Stiles' recitation of the poem at the end; it was too self-conscious and weepy and didn't gel with her earlier snappy, confident character. But overall, this is a beautifully acted and directed film. A great teen film, and it will make you smile.