Prom

**Prom** is a 2011 American film directed by Joe Nussbaum. The film was released on April 29, 2011.

## Plot

Nova Prescott is on the prom committee with her friends Mei Kwan, Ali Gomez, Brandon Roberts and Rolo Banus, where they make decorations and are finally prepared. Nova hopes Brandon, whom she has a crush on, will ask her to go to the prom. Lloyd Taylor complains to his stepsister Tess Torres that he has no date. Mei discovers that she has been accepted at a different university than her boyfriend Justin Wexler and worries about telling him as prom approaches. Lucas Arnaz has long been in love with his lab partner Simone and turns to his friend Corey Doyle to help him ask her to the prom. The only one who does not care about the prom is Jesse Richter. He works at a local market, stocking shelves; plays truant, rides his motorcycle across the schoolyard, and behaves inappropriately. Principal Dunnan tries to talk but does not get through to him.

Meanwhile, Jordan Lundley finds an earring in her boyfriend's car, Tyler Barso but he assures her that he's not cheating. To show his love, he takes her on a romantic date in the shed where the prom decorations were stored; Tyler forgot to extinguish one candle before they left, and the shed and everything in it was burned down. With only 3 weeks left, Nova is left to manufacture replacement props alone (as her friends are unavailable). The principal, annoyed at Jesse's lack of respect, warms him about a choice: either he helps Nova with the rebuild, or he can't graduate. Jesse accepts reluctantly, as does Nova; and realize they need each other's cooperation. While Brandon disappoints Nova by not asking her to the prom, she and Jesse grow closer, despite the fact that he finds the idea of prom ridiculous. When Nova discovers that the prom theme of the neighbouring school is the same as theirs, Jesse decides to sneak into their school to check it out. However, the security guard notices them, and the police catch them after they escape. The police call Nova's parents, and when Nova's father arrives, he snaps at Jesse.

Meanwhile, Lloyd still cannot find a date and becomes frustrated. Lucas asks Simone to a barbecue hosted by his friend Tyler. Tyler tries to talk and flirt with her, but she rejects him, because he is dating Jordan. Meanwhile, the stress in Mei and Justin's relationship reaches its breaking point, and Mei cancels on Justin for fear of telling him about her acceptance. At school, Lucas blows off Corey to spend more time with Simone and invites her to study for the upcoming test with him. However, en route to the library, Simone is stopped by Tyler, who convinces her to talk with him about his feelings. Jordan sees the two talking and immediately realizes the situation. After school, Nova apologizes to Jesse for her father’s behaviour. Later, she brings him along as she goes dress shopping, for a second opinion. Back at school, Simone apologizes to Lucas for having ditched him. She has a surprise, tickets to a concert, where Stick Hippo (his and Corey's favourite band) is opening. Lucas wants to take Simone instead of Corey, much to his dismay. Jordan dumps Tyler for his unfaithfulness and decides to go to prom alone. This prompts him to ask Simone to prom, which is the same night as the concert, and she agrees. Simone tells Lucas that she cannot attend the concert.

Mei apologizes to Justin for her behaviour and tells him the truth, but instead of feeling hurt that she is going to a different college, he tells her he is proud of her, and agree to attend prom together. As Lloyd gets rejected by another girl, he spots Lucas sitting outside the school, looking dejected. He learns of his situation and tells Lucas his own problem. Two nights before the prom, Nova, Ali, and Mei are in Nova's room, chatting. Nova confesses to them that she has feelings for Jesse, which her father overhears. The next day, Nova's father tells Jesse he cannot ask Nova to prom, because he is "bringing her down". That afternoon, Jesse is unusually hostile towards Nova and deserts her. On prom night, Lucas climbs a tree to reach Simone's window. He tells her how he feels and begs her not to go to prom, but she goes anyway. Disappointed, Lucas realizes what a bad friend he has been to Corey and offers him the other concert ticket.

At her house, Nova is heartbroken, and refuses to pose for the camera in her prom dress. Her father explains that he was the one who told Jesse not to ask her to prom. Angered, Nova storms out of the house. Meanwhile, at Lloyd's house, it is revealed that he is taking his sister to prom. At Jesse's house, his mother has a talk with him, and he realizes that he should still take Nova to prom. At the school, Tyler leads Simone into the building, and almost immediately abandons her. Simone finds out from a couple of girls that it was actually Jordan who dumped Tyler, and Tyler had gone to her with no other option. As Tyler and Jordan are pronounced prom king and queen, Jordan refuses to participate in the king-and-queen dance. When Tyler asks Simone to dance, she refuses and leaves. She goes outside to wait for Lucas, and they share a dance. Nova is having a bad time, and when Ali tells her the fountain centrepiece has failed, she cannot take it anymore. As she is about to leave, she hears the fountain start again, and knows the only person who could have fixed it was Jesse. He walks up to her and asks her to prom. She agrees, and they dance followed by a kiss.

## Cast and Characters

* Aimee Teegarden as Nova Prescott
* Thomas McDonell as Jesse Richter
* Cameron Monaghan as Corey Doyle
* Yin Chang as Mei Kwan
* Janelle Ortiz as Ali Gomez
* Nolan Sotillo as Lucas Arnaz
* Danielle Campbell as Simone Daniels
* Kylie Bunbury as Jordan Lundley
* DeVaughn Nixon as Tyler Barso
* Jared Kusnitz as Justin Wexler
* Nicholas Braun as Lloyd Taylor
* Joe Adler as Robert "Rolo" Banus
* Jonathan Keltz as Brandon
* Christine Elise McCarthy as Sandra Linsey
* Raini Rodriguez as Tess
* Aimee-Lynn Chadwick as Rachel
* Dean Norris as Frank Prescott
* Faith Ford as Kitty Prescott
* Robbie Tucker as Charlie Richter
* Jere Burns as Principal Dunnan
* Allie Trimm as Betsy
* Amy Pietz as Mrs. Doyle
* Carlease Burke as Rhoda Wainwright
* Blair Fowler as Leah
* Madison Riley as Kristen
* Rocco Nugent as Anton
* Ivy Malone as Alice
* Chloe Little as Janel Lundley
* Kofi Siriboe as Max
* Kristopher Higgins as Derek

## Music

Pop band Allstar Weekend's song "Not Your Birthday" was used to promote the film. It was later included in iPhone/iPod app Tap Tap Revenge 4 as a free soundtrack song. Additionally, Example's "Kickstarts" was used in the trailer and Katy Perry's "Firework" was used in the trailer of the film and during the actual prom scene of the film. The soundtrack was released under Disney's Hollywood Records label, three days before the film's premiere date.

## Production

While Prom is set in Michigan, filming took place in Los Angeles, California.

## Release

### Home Media

The film was released by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment on Blu-ray Disc, DVD, and movie download on August 30, 2011. The release will be produced in two different physical packages: a 2-disc combo pack (Blu-ray Disc and DVD) and a 1-disc DVD. The film will also be released as a movie download option, in both standard definition and high definition. All versions of the release will include the "Bloopers" and "Putting on Prom" extras, while the Blu-ray Disc combo pack will additionally include a bonus short called "Last Chance Lloyd" (directed by Taz Goldstein) that expands on Lloyd's search for a prom date as well as four deleted scenes, and seven music videos. The film's download version includes the "Bloopers" and "Putting on Prom" extras as well as three music videos by Allstar Weekend, Neon Trees, and Moon.

## Reception

### Critical Response

Review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes reports that 36% of 89 critics recommended the film, with an average rating of 5.1 out of 10. The site's critics consensus reads: "Given its flatly descriptive title and live-action Disney pedigree, Prom is more nuanced and less cynical but also just as corny and clichéd, as you might expect." At Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 50 out of 100, based on 24 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.

Salon film critic Andre O'Heir gave the film a negative review, calling it "a would-be tween-oriented hit so scrubbed and sanitized and not worthy of paying attention to that it can barely be said to exist at all". Another film critic, Claudia Puig of USA Today, notes that Prom's "entertainment quotient comes up deficient". Conversely, Boxoffice Magazine film critic Pete Hammond offers a more positive review of the film, calling it a "highly entertaining original movie that's funny, touching, and real", while mixed reviewers note that it is a "predictable but painless pastiche of high school drama cliches that will give its intended tween audience a lot to squeal about."

### Box Office

In its opening weekend the film grossed $4.7 million in 2,730 theaters, ranking fifth. By the end of its run, Prom grossed $10.1 million domestically.