um.........okayyyyy

Rating: Null/10 (18 February 2007)

Well, I saw this movie this morning as I was eating my toast with peanut butter, and orange juice. At first I thought that maybe it was a parody of a really bad teen movie, but my daughter told me that it was for real. So I watched it. It was mildly interesting. I have read some comments that Mandy Moore ( now I finally know who she is!) has made, and that girl seems to actually have some brain cells in her head, as opposed to another famous blond whose airheadedness is exploited in "Fahrenheit 911". So, Mandy herself sounds at least, like a cool person, who has some original thoughts. Uh, but as far as this movie....well, I'll try to be gentle.
First of all, it was painfully bad. I thought it was perhaps a college student's film project. All the music was generic, typical "teen angst" same exact melody, same guy singer, music. The acting was not bad. But the story? so predictable....I mean, a motherless girl? Where have I seen that before? Why do all these "plain" girls who end up with the "cool" guy have to be motherless? what's with that? is it a throwback to Cinderella, and snow white, and ariel? So, that right there, that she has to be motherless is annoying, and a copy of all the other teen movies. Then, you are supposed to fall in love with her at the play, and I didn't. I guess that's just cuz I'm cold-hearted. I liked how he defended her in the cafeteria, though. Anyway, the movie was funny, and I was getting a little bored with the predictability, until the "Love Story, I'm dying" plot twist. Okay, that was a bit surprising. But then, they stole, in the LAMEST way possible, the whole idea of a dying, beautiful leukemia patient ( see "Love Story", you young-ins out there, please!! )and then had the nerve to work a ten second "dad helps out" like in Love Story! Hello?????? When Landon and his dad were hugging, I almost expected his dad to blurt out "love means never having to say you're sorry"!!!!!!!!!!! This movie was bad, bad, bad. And then?? the narration starts?? what's with that? Was there narration at the beginning of the movie, that I missed???
The movie seems to have been written by 2 different folks, one writing the first half, then the other, doing the second half. The narration at the end is what christened the movie a comedy, and did give me a chuckle. But, all in all, I'll say that the kids are young and good looking, and the acting pretty good. And, I read another review here which complained about yet another "humble, plain jane, outcast girl" being played by a slim beauty, and that writer does have a point. I never looked at it from that perspective, but that does make sense. I don't think the movie was trying to make any point, though, just being a good watch to accompany toast and peanut butter. And I will say this: I am glad that lots of young people like this movie. When I was a teen, I loved a silly movie entitled "Buster and Billie". If I saw it today for the first time, I'd probably make fun of it worse than this one. So, it's good for teens to have a tear jerker that they can love. So for that reason, and that reason alone, I ( guess ) I like this movie.