Teen-reporter Maggie West — fresh from a stint on the journalistic high-road reviewing Les Miserables — now romps curbside in order to scope out the graduating senior class of Huntington Hills High. Frankly, I could hardly wait to send her out there … movies don’t get much more “teenier” than Can’t Hardly Wait, and the idea of reliving that graduation party was more than I could bear. So, here’s Maggie, who attended the ball and lived to tell the tale:
It’s graduation day, the ceremony’s over, the caps and gowns have been turned in, and it’s time for the students at Huntington Hills High to do the natural thing: PARTY! Can’t Hardly Wait revolves around six stereotypical teenagers at the bash, and while it can get a little tedious watching kids dance, drink and puke for two hours — still, the film is pretty funny. Our “heroes” take several forms. There’s “homeboy” Kenny (Buffy the Vampire‘s Seth Green), who has dorky sex on the bathroom floor with ex-friend Denise (In and Out‘s Lauren Ambrose). Also at the party is Mr. Nice Guy, Preston (That Thing You Do‘s Ethan Embry), who is madly in love with (and invisible to) prom-queen Amanda (Party of Five‘s Jennifer Love Hewitt). And finally, there’s sci-fi geek William (Hook‘s Charlie Korsmo), who overcomes his terminal “geekdom” by lip-synching to an Axl Rose recording. With such a talented cast, the film definitely has some entertaining moments … but it’s also, in places, too goofy and predictable. Personally, I can’t hardly wait for a “teen” movie with a plot. But until then, I recommend Can’t Hardly Wait to teenagers and teenagers only! I can only imagine 47-year-old conservative fathers (like mine) being hardly able to wait for it to end.
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