So Bad It’s Good #10 : She’s All That (1999)

Guilty Pleasures that we enjoyed – even though we don’t quite know why.

Movie Title : She’s All That
Released 1999
Starring Freddie Prinze Jr, Rachael Leigh Cook, Matthew Lillard, Paul Walker, Jodi Lyn O’Keefe, Kevin Pollak, Kieran Culkin, Elden Hensen, Usher Raymond, Anna Paquin
Directed By Robert Iscove

What is it? An infectious teen comedy that makes up for what it lacks in a script, original idea and commendable performances with a tight, bouncy pace; hip soundtrack and eccentric bunch of fun cliché teen-film characters. Freddie Prinze Jr – then at the top of his game – is a highschool jock challenged by best friend Paul Walker that he can’t get the school’s resident ugly duckling (Rachael Leigh Cook – very un-ugly duckling like) to go to prom with him. Naturally, they fall in love – but when she discovers the truth, all hell breaks loose… and (for some inane reason) Matthew Lillard breakdances on the floor.

What’s wrong with it? Its stale and very un-PC storyline. To say a young girl that doesn’t wear designer clothing and has glasses is ‘ugly’ is pretty despicable in this day-and-age. But like the very-thin script, not a lot of thought has obviously gone into making anyone in this flick very believable – its pure fantasy, so no harm. But mostly, it’s terribly cheesy and oh-so-dumb in parts.

What’s right about it? Its infectiously fun, much like one of those cornball teen comedies of the 80s (“Can’t Buy Me Love” comes to mind) where two opposites attract and fight the forces to stay together. I also like Rachael Leigh Cook in the film, I think – for what its worth – she grounds the film in some capacity; in fact everyone but the lead – the whole Prinze Jr craze, I never got; now he’s simply known as the lazy-ass husband of Sarah Michelle Gellar (who, by the way, makes a blink-and-you’ll-miss-her cameo in the movie) – from Anna Paquin (as Prinze’s sister); Kevin Pollak (as her Dad); and Paul Walker (as the egotistical typical-film dick) are rather good here. New “Prison Break” villainess Jodi Lyn O’Keefe also fits the ‘bitch’ role rather perfectly. “She’s all that” is one of those harmless no-brainer comedies that for some reason just straight-up entertains – it never intends to be anything other than it is.

Why is it so bad it’s good? Because it is crap, and yet, it’s good. If you get my drift? It’s such a dumb flick, but it’s one you can easily get hooked on.

– CLINT MORRIS