Can't Hardly Wait (1998)

reviewed by
DeWyNGaLe


CAN'T HARDLY WAIT by DeWyNGaLe Rating: A-

Can't Hardly Wait should have been the Scream of comedies. It stars the upcoming Ethan Embry (That Thing You Do!) as Preston Myers and superstar Jennifer Love Hewitt (I Know What You Did Last Summer) as Amanda Beckett. It takes place at a graduation party the last night of school. The big gossip around the kids is that Amanda Beckett has been dumped by the most popular kid in school, Mike Dexter. (Peter Fancinelli) Mike Dexter is just like a lot of characters in comedies who thinks about college girls and how they are going to be. Their four year relationship is over, and now Preston sees an opportunity to finally be with the one he has loved for so long.

We also meet Kenny Fischer played by Seth Green. (Enemy Of The State) He is a kid who thinks he is very cool and hip and he also thinks that everyone loves him. No one really likes him and he is extremely annoying. Preston is also great friends with Denise Fleming played by Lauren Ambrose. She has a bad attitude and not many people know her. Awhile back, she was best friends with Kenny. There is also William Lichter, played by Charlie Korsmo. After we meet everyone, the party begins. The music is playing, people are dancing, and everyone is getting drunk.

Amanda's friends try to help her with what she is going through, although she isn't really saddened by Mike's actions. Preston continues to see Amanda throughout the night, and tries very hard to talk with her, but just can't do it. He has a long letter that he has written, but when he sees her with another guy, he throws it away. The letter still gets to Amanda though, in many weird ways. She reads the letter and is touched and immediately wants to find this Preston Myers kid. When he finds her and finally has the guts to tell her he loves her, she tells him off, not knowing who it is.

Throughout the night, many other events also take place. William and company want to get revenge on the jocks for all they have done to them, Kenny wants to hook up with someone and the party, and a band named "Loveburger" fights a lot whether what to wear during their performance. All of the sub-plots together, including Mike and Amanda's sun-plot all made the film a better one.

The plot of Can't Hardly wait is extremely simple, but it works very well. Most of the characters in the movie are much like kids today, having problems with the world around them. Many people will be able to relate to this movie. I do not see why this film is not more popular. Everything is there for it to be a hit movie, including Seth Green and Jennifer Love Hewitt, a great soundtrack, a lot of funny moments, and a PG-13 rating.

The performances in the film are very realistic. They played the characters so it was very easy to understand that character's personality, and the way they felt about other people. Seth Green and Lauren Ambrose perhaps gave the best performances as their funny, original characters. Jennifer Love Hewitt was good as always, but didn't get the screen time she deserved. For Ethan Embry, I think Can't Hardly Wait will be a break through movie. He did a really surprising job, and his character was certainly a step up from That Thing You Do!'s bass player. The supporting performances from Peter Facinelli, Charlie Korsmo, and even Jenna Elfman added to the feel of the movie.

The Bottom Line- I can't hardly wait to see this one again and again.


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