"DRIVE ME CRAZY"
(1999) (Melissa Joan Hart, Adrian Grenier) (PG-13)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Moderate	Minor	Moderate	Minor	None
Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Moderate	None	None	*None	Heavy
Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Moderate	None	Moderate	Moderate	Mild

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QUICK TAKE:

Romantic Comedy: Posing as a couple to try to make those they're romantically interested in jealous, two teenage neighbors must then contend with feelings they soon develop for one another.

PLOT:

Nicole (MELISSA JOAN HART) and Chase (ADRIAN GRENIER) have been neighbors since they were kids when they were also best friends. Around the time middle school came around, however, the two went their separate ways and now that they're high school students, their two worlds barely intersect.

It turns out that Chase has become something of a beatnik, and enjoys hanging out with his other anti- establishment friends, Designated Dave (MARK WEBBER), so named for his willingness to chauffeur the drunk, and Ray (KRIS PARK) who has a penchant for videotaping nearly everything.

On the other hand, Nicole is part of the "in" crowd, and while hanging out with friends, Alicia (SUSAN MAY PRATT) and Dee Vine (KERI LYNN PRATT), longs for Brad (GABRIEL CARPENTER), the school's blond basketball star.

When Chase's activist girlfriend, Dulcie (ALI LARTER), dumps him, however, and Nicole learns that Brad has asked a cheerleader to their school's centennial dance, she proposes a scheme that may help both of them. By posing as a couple, she figures that they can make the respective objects of their affection jealous, and thus eventually get together with them.

As they begin their ruse where Chase "cleans up" to become part of the popular crowd, their respective friends are shocked not only at their changes, but also to the apparent fact that the two are dating, a point that hits close to home when both Nicole and Chase begin to develop feelings for each other.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?

Since it's a teen-based comedy and stars Melissa Joan Hart (from TV's "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch"), some teens may want to see it. Since this doesn't appear to be a high profile release, however, it might not draw big crowds of teens.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13

For teen alcohol and drug use, and for language.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:

MELISSA JOAN HART plays a teenager who desperately wants to date the school's basketball star. Thus, she decides to fake a relationship with Chase to make Brad jealous. Along the way she cusses some and is drunk from drinking at a party.

ADRIAN GRENIER plays her next-door neighbor who similarly goes along with her ruse, briefly uses strong profanity and gets sick from drinking too much at a different party.

MARK WEBBER plays Chase's best friend who serves as the basketball team's equipment manager when not acting as a designated driver for those too drunk to drive.

KRIS PARK plays another of Chase's friends who likes videotaping everything that occurs around the school.

ALI LARTER plays Chase's activist girlfriend who dumps him when she realizes he's not as motivated as her.

SUSAN MAY PRATT plays Nicole's best friend who turns out to be a true backstabber.

GABRIEL CARPENTER plays Nicole's dream date and star basketball player who also gets drunk at a party with her.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

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Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

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OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

The following is a brief look at the content found in this PG-13 rated, teen-based romantic comedy. Profanity is heavy due to 1 use of the "f" word, while other profanities and colorful phrases also occur. Teenage drinking occurs in several scenes, with at least three of the major character getting drunk and/or sick from having consumed too much alcohol. A bong of sorts is also briefly seen and used.

Some sexually related comments are made, while most of any related activity is limited to making out. Some students have bad attitudes, including a guy who wants to fool around with a girl and then briefly beats up another student who tries to come to her aid. A few instances of behavior that could be imitated are present, as are some tense family moments (talk of a dead mother and a distant and uninvolved father).

Beyond that, however, the film's remaining categories are relatively void of any major objectionable content. Nonetheless, should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for anyone in your home, we suggest that you take a closer look at the detailed content listings.

Of special note for those concerned with the repetitive use of bright, flashing lights, a few moments of that occur in a scene set at a concert.

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ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE

Reprimanding Chase and his buddies for a practical joke, a school administrator asks himself aloud whether the pupils of their eyes are supposed to be bigger or smaller (referring to his belief that they're using drugs -- they're not).

Students have what may be alcoholic drinks at a club (never verified either way).

Seeing that Chase hasn't left his room all day, his father asks him, "Are you stoned?" several times with Chase saying that he's not. His father asks him again and then states that Chase could tell him and "that would be cool." Chase then indicates that his father may have used drugs in his high school days by repeating an entry in his old yearbook, "Life of the party. Have sex. Be free. Class of '73."

Students drink at a party, including Nicole and Brad who leave it rather drunk and have Designated Dave drive them home. Later, when Nicole calls Chase with her plan, he says, "You're drunk" and she replies, "I'm desperate."

Two of Chase's female friends drink.

People have drinks at a club, including Dulcie.

While watching some sunbathing young women, Chase interjects the phrase, "Another tequila shot?" when a guy watching them starts to mention the three words he uses to "seal the deal" (insure sex) with such young women.

We see a science teacher holding what looks like a bong that he states was found in a student's locker.

Students drink at a party (beer and liquor) where we also see Chase drinking several shots of liquor (he later gets sick from this and has Designated Dave drive him home).

A videotape shows students partying and drinking, and a person taking a hit from the above described bong.

Nicole states, "Let's go spike the punch" at the big dance, but she seems to be joking.

BLOOD/GORE

We hear and see Chase vomiting from drinking too much (and later see this again on videotape).

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE

Chase and his buddies are marginal rebels who pull some practical jokes on others.

Nicole doesn't approve of the way Chase looks or dresses and sets out to change him for their dating ruse.

Some may see that ruse as being in poor taste (for being purposefully deceitful).

Nicole's friends make fun of Dave (not in his presence, but causing Chase to defend him).

Alicia sets out to ruin several relationships by lying to the cheerleader who likes Brad, and by kissing Chase so that Nicole will see them and get upset.

A guy tries to fool around with a girl in the back seat of Designated Dave's car. When she refuses, he becomes belligerent and calls her names and then beats up Dave when he tries to defend her.

FRIGHTENING SCENES

Dave pulls a guy who was mean to a girl out of his car and throws him to the ground. This guy then grabs Dave and slams his head against the car and then kicks him in the gut after he falls to the ground (and then spits on him). The guy then tries to get the girl but she sprays mace (or something similar) in his face, temporarily blinding him.

GUNS/WEAPONS

None.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR

Phrases: "Catching sh*t," "Sh*t don't stink," "D*ckweed," "Freak," "Slutty," "Slut," "Chick" (woman), "Shut up," "Moron," "Bone head," "Loser," "Sucks," "Screwed" (nonsexual), "Big ass," "Bitch(es)," "Kiss my ass," "Fat bitch," and "Stupid ass."

The students drinking at some parties may cause other kids to want to do the same.

Nicole wears her mom's small red halter top to school.

Chase's bedroom is a complete mess with clothes and other items strewn about everywhere.

Chase puts tape over a door lock so that he and his buddies can put orange dye into the school's outdoor sprinkler system. They then turn it on and soak everyone with orange water.

One of Chase's female friends has a pierced nose and what looks like a tattoo around her neck. When Nicole asks her if that nose piercing hurt, the girl replies not as much as "this" (and moves her shirt to imply that she got her nipple pierced -- but we don't see anything).

Some male students at a basketball game are shirtless and have the letters spelling out the team's nickname written on their chests.

Some students briefly drive down the wrong side of the street next to Chase and Nicole.

JUMP SCENES

None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)

None.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)

None that we heard, but since so many songs play during the movie, it's always possible that some objectionable content might be in one or more of them.

PROFANITY

At least 1 "f" word, 9 "s" words, 2 slang terms using male genitals ("d*ck"), 9 asses, 2 hells, 1 damn and 1 use of "Jesus" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY

Nicole wears her mom's small red halter top to school that shows a bit of cleavage that Ray focuses on with a video camera before Nicole's televised report.

Chase and Dulcie make out in a closet at school.

Chase repeats a line from his father's old high school yearbook, "Life of the party. Have sex. Be free. Class of '73."

One of Nicole's friends states "I've never kissed another girl" while another says, "I never did it with anything that required batteries."

Students make out at a party.

As Nicole talks to Chase on the phone, we can see her across the way in her room where she takes off her top and we briefly see her in her bra. The next morning in her room, we (and Chase) see her in her bra again (with some cleavage) as she wakes up.

Driving in Chase's stylish old car, Nicole says that when another girl sees it, "she's going to want to jump you."

Chase's friends tell him that with his pseudo relationship with Nicole, he's got all of the duties of being a boyfriend, "but none of the perks." One then asks, "You're not getting any perks, are you?"

A student asks another student who they would rather "do" (have sex with), Gillian Anderson or Agent Scully. Chase then comments on the latter having "years of pent-up sexual frustration."

Alicia tells Brad that Nicole is "all talk and no action." When Brad says that a lot of girls are like that, Alicia suggestively replies, "Not all girls."

To make Dulcie jealous, Nicole passionately kisses Chase, causing his ex-girlfriend to tell them, "Get a room."

We see Nicole and her friends lounging on a river in their bikinis (some of which show cleavage). Chase then interjects the phrase, "Another tequila shot?" when a guy watching them starts to mention the three words he uses to "seal the deal" (insure sex) with such young women. Meanwhile, Nicole's friend urges her to tell them about Chase since he has big hands and big feet (suggesting another part of his anatomy is big). Nicole just smiles.

We hear some slight sexual sounds coming from the back seat of Designated Dave's car. The guy there says "C'mon," but the girl doesn't want to do anything. He tells her that nobody's going to know about it, but she still doesn't want to fool around with him. When she states that the only reason she got Dave to drive her home was that she didn't know how to drive this other guy's stick-shift car, the guy suggestively responds, "I'll show you how to drive a stick right now" (while raising his clothed crotch). She then replies that she was talking about "a real car, not a matchbox."

Chase's father and Nicole's mother announce that they're going to move in with each other (as we see the mother holding her unbuttoned shirt together as if she and the father were fooling around).

SMOKING

None.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES

Both Nicole and Chase live with only one each of their respective parents. That's because Chase's mom died of cancer when he was twelve (briefly discussed) and because Nicole's father doesn't live with her and her mom, is very distant and knows next to nothing about his daughter, and even forgets one of their "appointments" together. She later tells him that she's upset with him about his distance.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT

The different social "classes" in high school and how they view and treat each other.

Nicole and Chase's plan to act like they're dating each other to make those they're interested in jealous.

Nicole's distant father and him forgetting to meet her on their planned day.

A guy tries to pressure a girl into fooling around in the back seat of a car (she refuses).

VIOLENCE

Dave slams on the breaks of his car, causing Chase to band his head against the seat/partition.

Dave pulls a guy who was mean to a girl out of his car and throws him to the ground. This guy then grabs Dave and slams his head against the car and then kicks him in the gut after he falls to the ground (and then spits on him). The guy then tries to get the girl but she sprays mace (or something similar) in his face, temporarily blinding him.

Reviewed September 27, 1999 / Posted October 1, 1999

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