Should have hated it...but...

Rating: Null/10 (24 September 2004)

Everything about this film had the earmarks of what I can't stand in films. Tough, cool, James Dean type, hanging out with the wrong crowd, meets epitomy of virtue, and sways him to goodness through religion and her talent as a singer. Then the clincher...SHE'S DYING! And everyone gets together because of her and in her death there's a bright new day.
But dammit, it worked. The script was crisp, the cinematography and editing were superb, and the performances were first rate. And then there was Mandy Moore. I couldn't get my eyes off of Ms Moore, not because of her beauty, and that's undeniable, but her acting was star caliber. She took a part that was wide open to failure, and with skill and sincerity, triumphed. I was extremely impressed. I call this the Gilligan Phenomenom, where a hackneyed plot and mediocre scripting is eclipsed by stellar performances. This film falls into that category. For a film that was a hair away from being ridiculous, the results were surprising good.