Drive
Me Crazy
Directed
by John Schultz
Screenplay
by Rob Thomas
Based
upon the novel How I Created My Perfect Prom Date by Todd Strasser
Starring
Melissa Joan Hart, Adrian Grenier, Mark Webber, Kris Park, Susan May Pratt,
Keri Lynn Pratt, Ali Larter, Stephen Collins, and Gabriel Carpenter
91
minutes. Rated PG-13. Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1. 1999
Okay,
so it doesn't break any molds. It's a typical teen "high school" movie,
the plot sounds suspiciously similar to She's All That, and it's
based on a "young adult" novel. But Drive Me Crazy is cute, entertaining,
and fun.
Melissa
Joan Hart (TV's Sabrina the Teenage Witch) plays Nicole, one of
the "popular" teens at school. Her next door neighbor, once best friend,
Chase (The Adventures of Sebastian Cole's Adrian Grenier) is one
of the "outcasts" at school, dating ultra alternative-indie-revolutionary-gothic
chick Dulcie (Ali Larter, doing a complete 180 from the character she played
in Varsity Blues, leading me to believe this talented unknown has
a real future in films) -- until she dumps him. Bummer. Not for Nicole,
who's looking for a way to entice jock-boy Brad (Carpenter) into asking
her to the school's Centennial Dance (which Nicole has meticulously planned
herself). She suggests to her old friend Chase that by appearing to date,
they might make their respective loves jealous and therefore win them (or
win them back in Chase's case). So Chase agrees to be remade in Nicole's
image of the perfect man.
The script actually takes a decent look at the divisions and class (social,
not year of graduation) structure inherent in high school. Neither of the
cliques (the popular kids or the outcasts) is made out to be better than
the other. Both have their pluses and their minuses. Obviously, both the
main characters are representative of the best of their respective groups.
But the minuses? Larter's character springs to mind, as does Alicia (10
Things I Hate About You's May Pratt) -- a popular chick who actually
seems to be the devil.
"Are
you happier now?" an outcast-turned-popular Dee Vine (Lynn Pratt) asks
Chase. He's not sure; neither is she.
The acting
is average. I like Joan Hart and Grenier, and Stephen Collins (of TV's
moral-heavy 7th Heaven) gives a small but good performance as Nicole's
absent dad. As I've said before, I like Larter (both in this film and Varsity
Blues), and I also liked Mark 
Webber's
"designated Dave". The Pratts (sisters? They don't look it...) could have
been stronger, but both are decent actors who should have promising careers
ahead of them. Kris Park could have been stronger as well, but he does
an okay job as well.
The directing
is average as well. It's not as sloppily done as 10 Things I Hate About
You, but it's not as good as She's All That, either. There are
a couple nice shots, and a couple nice uses of slow motion, but other than
that, fairly bland. Though I could just be disappointed there was no dance
number (as there was in She's All That) or beheadings (as there
was in The 13th Warrior).
Is it
worth the trip to the movie theatre? Maybe not. I'd pay matinee price,
but not the full eight bucks (I was fortunate enough to see it for free).
But as I said, the directing wasn't particularly dynamic, and the aspect
ratio's only 1.85:1, so it won't lose much if you wait for video. It is,
nevertheless, a fun, cute, sweet, decently-written movie with a nicely
intertwined plot that I recommend.
Bottom line: Not as sharp as Cruel Intentions and not as well-shot
as She's All That, but a fun, sweet film nevertheless.
My grade:
B
My advice:
See it at a matinee, or wait for video. But do see it.
Get the movie
poster!
