10 Things I Hate About You Movie Review
Title: 10 Things I Hate About You
RunTime: 1 hour, 37 minutes
Released: March 31, 1999
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance / Comedy
Directed By: Gil Junger
Starring: Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik
Available On: Tubi, Disney+, fuboTV, Hulu
Summary:
New student, Cameron, falls for Bianca Stratford. Unfortunately for him, he discovers that Bianca cannot date until her sister, Kat, starts dating as well. Kat Stratford has a tendency to be abrasive and socially reclusive, developing a hardened reputation. Cameron decides to throw money at his problem, finding a way to pay Patrick Verona to win Kat over and take her out on a date.
My Thoughts:
As someone who was born after Y2K, 10 Things I Hate About You was a bit jarring. The way high school students were portrayed in this 90s movie is vastly different to their current counterparts. The film is filled with provocative, crude humor, but without sexualizing the minor characters. The hair, makeup, and wardrobe used on the characters in this movie are realistic for ordinary teenagers. Viewers can watch this movie and believe that these characters could be in high school.
It was also fascinating to go back and watch a movie that was made before smart phones and social media blanketed our social lives. 10 Things I Hate About You works as a sort of time capsule to illustrate the way life used to be. There is a scene where two teen boys make a stack of fliers advertising a party and drop them down a busy stairwell to spread the word. Nowadays, a simple Instagram or Facebook post would suffice for marketing an event.
The energy in this movie is unbelievable. The actors do a brilliant job of bringing their characters to life. Through every scene, the characters are believable and appear fully formed. There are plenty of scenes that take place within the walls of the high school that help make the story realistic. Too often nowadays, stories will take place with the main characters being high school students, but they are never seen in a classroom or doing homework. There are also a few scenes in the school cafeteria that are too realistic in its portrayal of teenage boys antics, I felt like I was back in high school.
This movie has genuinely funny scenes. The jokes are subtle, but effective. The editing makes the landing perfect since the shots move on, rather than staying on the person who made the joke in an effort to prolong the comedy. This allows for the characters to be quick-witted and have a unique personality.
I wish there were more movies like 10 Things I Hate About You being made today. The film was visually bright, had effective writing, incredible acting, and a timeless story. This is a movie that is entertaining without holding an ulterior motive.
Have you watched 10 Things I Hate About You? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
ashleyohare 