Director: Gil Junger
Produced: Touchstone Pictures (1999)
Media Format: Movie
Genre: Romance, Humor
Selection Source: YALSA Fabulous Films for YAs
Audience Recommendation: High School
Watching Recommendation: 3 ***
Curriculum Connection: Literature, Drama
Summary
New kid Cameron is being shown around the school by fellow dork, Michael when he immediately falls in love with the popular Bianca. Bianca is being sought after by jock and top-jerk, Joey. The problem for both Cameron and Joey is that Bianca's over protective father does not allow her to date. Bianca's older sister Kat has no interest in any of the boys in her school. She is simply counting the days until she graduates and can move out East in order to attend Sarah Lawrence. Knowing that Kat doesn't date, the father tells Bianca that she can start dating as soon as her sister does. Cameron hears about his, and hatches a plan to get the school rebel, played by the late Heath Ledger to ask Kat out. As one can imagine all sorts of hijinks and misunderstandings ensue.
Evaluation
This movie is a modern retelling of Shakespeare's Taming the Shrew. I don't know much about Shakespeare, so I didn't catch it, but it could be a great way to introduce Shakespeare to a skeptical class of young English students. There is a little bit of harsh language and sexual situations, but it's pretty pg-13. It's a pretty typical romance in many ways. Girl discovers dorky guy is better than dumb jock. The rebel starts a romance for the wrong reasons, but then falls for the girl who finds out about his alterior motives, dumps him, he then figures out how to show girl that he really cares. But, it is quite funny, and the characters communicate with sophisticated language that is rarely seen in teen movies.
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