Can't Hardly Wait (PG-13) *** Starring Ethan Embry, Lauren Ambrose Directed by Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan A Review by Frankie Paiva
Can't Hardly Wait is supposed to bring back the teen comedy, the days where virginity was discussed in detention, where Sean Penn was a skateboard dude, where angry vice-principals tracked you down on your sick days. While the film does some of this, it's really putting a modern twist on what we have seen over and over again.
The setting is perfect, the Girl Who's Party It Is (an aptly named character along with creative ones such as Boy Who Steals Everything and Ready To Have Sex Girl) holds a bash on Graduation night with her parents away from home, it's a must-come event and every member of the student body will be there. Enter our hero, Preston (Embry) he's been lovestruck by Prom Queen Amanda (Jennifer Love Hewitt, who seems to be content not running from Ben Willis) and decides to finally tell her how he feels. Love adopts her quiet, popular girl role of the recently dumped (by a full-of-himself jock named Mike played by Peter Facinelli) well, but she adds tones of drama that aren't needed. Accompanying him is Denise (Ambrose, who's great, what else has she been in?) she's goth outcast without the makeup who gets stuck in a bathroom with Kenny (Seth Green) a white homeboy, obsessed with being black. Also in for the ride is William (Charlie Korsmo) school nerd who attempts to gain revenge against Mike by taking Polaroids of him with one of his friends in a naked embrace.
Great cameos are also present, with Jerry O'Connell, Selma Blair, Melissa Joan Hart (who could have been more in the movie to give it more of a satire feel) and Jenna Elfman as a stripper. Yes, you heard me correctly, Jenna Elfman is a stripper. I have awarded this film the Consistency (please tell me I spelled that right) award of 1998. It's a film that you'll discover something new about after every repeated viewing. However it is a tad contrived, and just a bit predictable. But the film embraces it's spirit making this light-hearted romantic comedy a sure one to go see.
A Review By Frankie Paiva The 12 Year-Old Movie Reviewer
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