just another in a string of disappointments

Rating: 4/10 (24 June 1999)

Every movie I've seen since Shakespeare in Love has been a disappointment, but this one is the worst yet. I really expected this to be memorable, witty - a satire skewering high school "values". instead it just reinforced every stupid idea and stereotype that I expected it to shoot down. ultimately, the moral: even losers get laid, and this makes them, magically, no longer losers; and, yes, sex is the be-all and end-all. The movie begins with a masturbation sequence that becomes the motif - and, yes, it's funny at first, but how many times can a father realistically walk in on his son, and how many different ways can the same gag be repeated before it gets stale? the majority of the kids in the theater with me hooted and screamed just as loudly each time, so i guess i'm in the minority, but i got very tired of humor in the form of simple gross-outs. Don't get me wrong - I thought Something About Mary was hilarious; but Mary had a good script, good acting, ingenuity, and an engaging plot. this movie has none or very little of the four (with the exception of Natasha Lyonne, who is above this movie the same way Jeneane Garofolo was above 200 Cigarettes). If you're looking for a good movie, forget this one. I'll offer an alternative - just as soon as I can find one myself.