This is a light comedy. Henry McCarthy (Mark Polish) is an author of some renown. He has written a fictional book about his High School years, although in reality it is about his own experiences with some name changes. There is a bunch of first person narration in the film which are actual readings from the book. The names of the characters he reads don't match up with those they refer to making it slightly confusing at first until you realize Lauren is Scarlet.
Henry comes back in town and lives at home with his parents and borrows their car. He is at his old High School to connect with the current senior class so he can be the commencement speaker at graduation. During this time his whole teenage angst returns as he tries to connect with Scarlet. Scarlet is a pharmacist played by Winona Ryder, which is humorous on a different level. Her ex-bf Brad is the gym teacher. He and Henry get into it and are sent to the principle's office, who is played by Chevy Chase. In order to make things more difficult, bombshell student Hilary Duff throws herself at him. Toward the end of the film, some people from his high school finally read his book and realize they are in it. The book Henry wrote was about how Lionel (Ritchie) got him laid, although it was a Kenny Loggins song that inspires him at the end of the film.
Sean Astin was perhaps the bright spot, playing a gay. Except for him, much of the acting was flat. Mark Polish, who wrote the script was dull as the lead. The movie attempted to create those wonderful indie characters, but failed primarily due to the lack of good memorable lines and Polish's flat performance. I could picture Adam Sandler playing that part.
The movie is clever in that it is able to recreate the entire high school scene for Harry as an adult. This is a chick flick written by a guy. It might suffice as a date night rental. I perhaps overrated the film because I enjoy watching Sean Astin, Chevy Chase, Hilary Duff, and of course Winona Ryder can steal any scene.
No f-bombs, sex, or nudity.
Henry comes back in town and lives at home with his parents and borrows their car. He is at his old High School to connect with the current senior class so he can be the commencement speaker at graduation. During this time his whole teenage angst returns as he tries to connect with Scarlet. Scarlet is a pharmacist played by Winona Ryder, which is humorous on a different level. Her ex-bf Brad is the gym teacher. He and Henry get into it and are sent to the principle's office, who is played by Chevy Chase. In order to make things more difficult, bombshell student Hilary Duff throws herself at him. Toward the end of the film, some people from his high school finally read his book and realize they are in it. The book Henry wrote was about how Lionel (Ritchie) got him laid, although it was a Kenny Loggins song that inspires him at the end of the film.
Sean Astin was perhaps the bright spot, playing a gay. Except for him, much of the acting was flat. Mark Polish, who wrote the script was dull as the lead. The movie attempted to create those wonderful indie characters, but failed primarily due to the lack of good memorable lines and Polish's flat performance. I could picture Adam Sandler playing that part.
The movie is clever in that it is able to recreate the entire high school scene for Harry as an adult. This is a chick flick written by a guy. It might suffice as a date night rental. I perhaps overrated the film because I enjoy watching Sean Astin, Chevy Chase, Hilary Duff, and of course Winona Ryder can steal any scene.
No f-bombs, sex, or nudity.