With the phenomenal success of the "Scream" movies and the growing number of teens who made them so popular, it's not surprising that a heavy barrage of teen-oriented flicks is headed for the theaters. The first not to fall into the slasher genre, "Can't Hardly Wait" is reminiscent of the films writer/director John Hughes popularized in the 1980's such as "The Breakfast Club," "Sixteen Candles," and many others. Like those films, this one focuses on a short period of time in the lives of several high school students.
Although it has the requisite and diversified teenage cast, it completely lacks what made another similarly based movie, "American Graffiti," so great, and doesn't even posses the simple charm that the Hughes films constantly oozed. While that feeling may be partially fueled by being further removed from the age when it was easier to enjoy Molly Ringwald and the "Brat Pack" ruling the teen genre, I doubt this film will be looked back upon as fondly or that it will play beyond its targeted audience.
Of course, I'm sure the filmmakers aren't too worried about that. Like those Hughes films, this one has similar character types and a near identical formulaic consistency. Among those attending the big bash is a diverse collection of stereotypically exaggerated high school students. We have the geek and his buddies (filling the void left by Anthony Michael Hall) and the athletic and popular, but snobbishly meanspirited jock (played by any number of chiseled, musclebound teens).
Then there's the beautiful prom queen (any assortment of no name actresses) and, of course, the introverted, homely teen who's disgusted with her high school years (the Molly Ringwald part). Added to that are several white students who dress, speak, and act like "homeboys," the always peppy and bouncing young woman everyone hates, the foreign exchange student, and -- well, you get the idea.
Unfortunately, the writing and directing team of Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont (making their dual directing debut after writing for films such as "A Very Brady Sequel" and "Jingle All The Way"), have made most of the characters flat, uninteresting and for the most part non-humorous caricatures. The same can also be said about the plot and dialogue, although at least Kaplan and Elfton finally slow down the tempo in the second half in an attempt to feature the would-be romance between Preston and Amanda.
While that partially works, the biggest problem is that there's no heart or soul to the characters or the picture itself. Sure, Preston gets his feelings hurt and Amanda roams around the party moping, but this movie is like attending a party where you don't know anyone. You can watch in mild amusement at the characters' antics, but one never gets involved like we do in movies such as "American Graffiti" or "Say Anything" (with John Cusack).
Despite some attempts at being heartfelt with Jenna Elfman (showing up in an odd cameo) giving Preston seasoned advice in a rare non-party setting, for the most part this is a superficial, near plot-less film dealing with supped up, but ultimately cardboard characters. We never really know their hopes or dreams (beyond the immediate and obvious) and thus have a hard time sympathizing with any of the characters.
Of course, many teens aren't going to care squat about that, and will probably find the proceedings highly entertaining, and the film can't be faulted for not having enough energy. If you're not going to delve deeply into the characters, though, then the antics had better be revved up. Again, however, the film falls short of other teen comedies such as "Fast Times At Ridgemont High" or "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" that are fun because of the wacky characters and situations.
The performances, for the most part, are okay for what's being attempted. Jennifer Love Hewitt ("I Know What You Did Last Summer," TV's "Party of Five"), only gets to let her natural radiance shine forth a few times as she's otherwise relegated to moping around the party or lashing out at the guys who approach her.
Ethan Embry ("White Squall," "That Thing You Do!") is good as the amorously frustrated teen, but his character never gets developed far enough to make him anything more than the standard- issue "normal" high school male. Lauren Ambrose ("In & Out"), on the other hand, does get to work somewhat with her disgruntled character and delivers the best performance in the film (in true Molly Ringwald fashion). Most of the rest of the performers, however, inhabit the regular array of stereotypical high school teen caricatures
The ever pervasive soundtrack features an extremely odd and eclectic compilation of hits from several decades. While it's understandable that a lot of music would play during a party, the collection of tunes from the likes of Barry Manilow (do teens even know who he is?), 80's rap/hip hop artists Young Mc and Tone Loc, old power groups like Foreigner, and more current artists seems more like an attempt to promote the soundtrack than have a realistic, contemporary party mix.
With enough topical references to please the teens -- William's geeky friends comment that in a certain light he looks like David Duchovny, Amanda's girlfriends compare her and Mike to Brad Pitt and Gwyneth Paltrow -- and some odds ones apparently designed for the thirtysomething and older crowd -- the Manilow songs and Jenna Elfman's character going on about having been in love with Scott "Happy Days" Baio -- the film tries to be hip, but the efforts aren't too impressive. Even so, the film will probably entertain the teens, but it's just too bad that it's not much more than the "same old, same old." We give "Can't Hardly Wait" a 3 out of 10.
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