Whoda Thunk...

Rating: Null/10 (26 January 2003)

that Mandy Moore was a good actress? She puts most singers to shame. For once a singer didn't play the spotlight role where they are the epitomy of coolness, etc.
Mandy plays Jamie, a high school senior and a preist's daughter who is perceived by her classmates as weird, dorky, and uncool. She keeps to herself and doesn't bother anyone, yet they feel happy to make fun of her at their leisure. Landon, played very well by Shane West, is the popular guy who everyone loves. Well he gets in trouble and is forced to tutor kids and act in the school play as punishment. There he gets to know Jamie and they differ on almost everything, or so they think. They begin to develop a relationship (predictable, yes but acted very well) and fall in love. I won't reveal everything that happens, but it is a touching story that brought a tear to my eye, an eye which very rarely gets teary from movies.
The acting is superb. Mandy and Shane have very good chemistry and Peter Coyote (Mandy's father) plays the overprotective father very well.
The music of the film is also well done. Using Mandy's primary talent in the context of the play was nice to see, as it wasn't forced in there just for her. The song she sings in the play, "Only Hope", is beautiful.
All in all, I really liked this movie. I didn't know anything about it; I just happened to notice it was on my TV when I turned it on and just couldn't turn it off. This is a very good teen movie among many that are the same ol' same ol'. Definitely worth at least one look.
8/10