Surpassing All Expectations

Rating: 9/10 (12 April 1999)

I saw this film for exactly one reason. No, not Julia Stiles. Not Larisa Oleynik either. I saw it because it was filmed mostly in Tacoma, WA, about 15 minutes from my parents' house where I live when I'm not in college. I didn't really expect to be that good, though.
I was wrong. This has to be one of the best youth-culture films of recent years, and it stacks up well against classics like "The Breakfast Club" and "Ferris Bueller". The characters and plot had depth (thanks to Shakespeare) and there were plenty of laughs. For two hours, I wished I was back in high school. This movie's a winner, even if you can't find Tacoma on a map.