Customer Reviews

Sydney White (Widescreen Edition)

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Combine Snow White, Animal House and Revenge of The Nerds and you have Syndey White.

This modern retelling fairytale of Snow White. It follows a beautiful college freshman Syndey White (played by Amanda Bynes) as she pledges her late mother's sorority. But after discovering that today's sisterhood is not what it used to be, Sydney makes new home away from home with seven nerdy outcasts. With the help of her new friends, Sydney will take on Rachel, the reigning campus queen (Sara Paxton) to attempt to transform the school's misguided social hierarchy

Bynes is great with her cheerleading style. The film is a cute send up with a Revenge of the Nerds twist.

It is cute for an evening entertainment

Bennet Pomerantz Audioworld

Sydney White is a modern-day Snow White whose story unfolds on the campus of the college her deceased mother attended. Sydney is a legacy pledge for her mother's sorority, but circumstances prevent her from becoming a "sister". Instead, Sydney moves in with the "Seven Dorks" of "The Vortex" - the house that sucks in all of the losers! These actors had me in tears because I was laughing so hard! Each one beautifully portrayed one of the fairy tale dwarf personas. The charming Prince (Matt Long, "Ghost Rider") even awakens the sleeping princess with a kiss.

Amanda Bynes was her usual comical self. John Schneider is always a welcome addition to any screen. Sara Paxton is outstanding as Rachel Witchburn. Crystal Hunt, Jack Carpenter, Jeremy Howard, Adam Hendershott, Danny Strong, Samm Levine, Donte Bonner are an outstanding supporting cast. Arnie Pantoja steals the show as the "Dopey"-est dork! This was the sweetest family film! Some sexual references and college party scenes make it appropriate for teenagers and older. I can't wait for it to be available for purchase on DVD!

I think Amanda Bynes is hilarious. I think she's probably the best comedic actress in her age range today. But this movie was a little light on the humor. And what humor it did have, was mainly given to the seven dorks. Jokes like the "hi ho" moment were very funny but they weren't her jokes. I think Amanda was under used in this movie. I much prefer "She's the Man" or even her sitcom "What I like about you"

Ok, I love Amanda Bynes. She's hilarious, and has great comedic timing. I randomly saw a trailer for this movie and immediately knew I had to see it. And I'm so glad I did. Based loosely off of the Snow White fairy tale, Amanda's character, Sydney White, goes off to her dead mom's alma mater college and pledges with her mom's old sorority. The head of that sorority, doesn't like Sydney though, and after a whole list of horrible pledge hazing, Sydney is publicly humiliated at the initiation ceremony. Left with no where to live (she had expected to live at the sorority house), she moves in with a bunch of nerdy guys in a horribly run-down house in the middle of all the other Greek houses. The evil sorority president wants to tear down this house for another Greek building, donated by her father, so the rest of the movie Sydney and her 7 geeks are trying to get back at her. This movie is not just for the sorority girls though, if you're a geeky girl like me you'll have plenty of inside jokes to laugh at. Especially about Admiral Adama, the possible cylon?
I highly recommend Sydney White, go out and see it or buy it on DVD when it comes out, like me!

Amanda Bynes mines Disney territory in this almost clever take on "Snow White." She stars as Sydney White, an awkward freshman who has just started college at her deceased mother's alma mater and is a sorority legacy. But witchy president Rachel Witchburn takes an immediate dislike to her when her ex-boyfriend Tyler shows interest in Snow, or rather Sydney. Rachel schemes to get Syd blackballed and her only option for housing is to bunk with the dwarfs, or rather the dorks down the road. Sydney soon dusts herself off and plots to get even with the duplicitous Rachel, while aiding her fellow dorks to be more hip.

I wanted to really like this movie - I loved the premise and the setting in a college campus, but the movie just drags and never really catches any momentum. Bynes character is so similar to Viola in "She's the Man," that it's like she's doing an imitation of herself (and a poor one at that). It's an utterly forgettable movie that you're better off catching on cable provided you're already caught up on your laundry, which is a real shame since it had the potential to be so much more. Better yet, skip it and check out the original dorkfest, "Revenge of the Nerds."

Sydney White (Bynes) didn't grow up like your typical girl. After her Mom died, her plumber father raised her. She's a strong, tough girl and she needs all of that to survive SAU. When she arrives at college on a scholarship, she pledges as a legacy to her Mom's sorority, Kappa Phi Nu. Unfortunately, the President hates her on sight for taking her ex-boyfriend and the war is on.

The story's predictable and we have a very commercial spin on the 'poisoned Apple' but it's an amusing way to spend an hour and a half. And the dork in me definitely cheered her on.

Let me begin by saying that I'm a BIG Amanda Bynes fan so the possibility of me disliking anything she's in is next to impossible. Now to the matter at hand, the '07 film `Sydney White' is Amanda doing what she does best; starting off on a new adventure on her own (this time going away to college), falling in love with campus the hottie (Matt Long), battling his ex-girlfriend and resident sorority b*t*h (Sara Paxton) and almost single-handedly changing the inequities of university social life. That girl can do just about anything!

There's not a lot new here (OK nothing) in terms of storyline but the production values are excellent and the cast outstanding. All that and Amanda too! What more could anyone ask for?

My Rating: -3 ½ Stars-.

Sydney White (Amanda Bynes) is a modern day adaptation of the timeless fairytale Snow White. In this instance, our heroine is a college student away from home for the 1st time. She is rejected by the sorority that was her deceased mother's alma mater and finds herself instantly homeless and a social outcast. With nowhere else to go, she ends up at "The Vortex" (the campus house that is infamous for sucking up all the losers). She is taken in by the seven dorks that live there and the laughs begin in earnest. In many ways it's like Snow White meets Revenge of the Nerds.
The other cast members include John Schneider (Sydney's father), Matt Long (Tyler Prince- Sydney's love interest), Sara Paxton (Sorority Leader & student council president- Rachel Witchburn), Jack Carpenter (Lenny- the head "dork"), Jeremy Howard (Terrence Lubinecki- the dork that dares to run for student council president against Rachel).
While it is totally predictable, it is still worth watching if you are in the mood for something light and frivolous. Amanda Bynes once again shows her talent at comedic timing and proves that she really is a decent actress. It is rated PG-13 for some language, sexual humor and college partying. I wouldn't recommend it for younger viewers but think the preteen to younger teens will find it utterly delightful.

It's movies like this that the high-power film reviewers love tearing to shreds for their alleged lack of originality, and in a society where quirky comedies such as "Waitress" and "Juno" (the types of movies that Ebert and the others love to eat right up), perhaps we won't be seeing the more basic chick flicks at the next Academy Awards show. Setting all that aside, it doesn't take a genius to know that the opinions of the general public make a difference too, and if you're the kind of person who loves a sweet, deliciously cheesy chick flick with a nice moral behind it, you're going to love "Sydney White." The bottom line is that it all comes down to formula, and with comedic pro Amanda Bynes leading the way, there is plenty to love about this modern update of the age-old tale about "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."

"Sydney White" tells the story of an 18-year-old high school graduate who, after being raised by her widowed father, is ready to experience college for the first time. Joining a top-notch sorority at her chosen university may not seem to fit right with Sydney's unique, non-conforming personality, but in this case, it's her own way of connecting with her deceased mother. Once there, trouble lurks with Kappa queen Rachel Witchburn, and if you are a female, you know all about what happens when a petty little high school/college girl decides she doesn't like you. From there, it's up to Sydney to find another way to make the most out of college, and when she befriends seven dorky guys from outside the general social circle, she may find more than her original plan could have offered her.

Again, Amanda Bynes has firmly established her sweet, genuine, and widely effervescent personality with films such as "What a Girl Wants" and "Hairspray," and perhaps most notably, her lead role in the hugely entertaining (and sadly short-lived) TV series "What I Like About You." Her role in this film doesn't break the mold from what she's done in the past, but it is true proof that Bynes knows what's she's good at, and there's no doubt that her loyal fan base will love her in this movie. As another reviewer has indicated, Bynes is easily one of the most underrated young star of her generation, but for those who appreciate her most, her films never disappoint. Her characters always have a good moral behind them, and I give the girl major props for keeping her head on straight in a society where it would be so easy for a star her age to go the other way. With her character Sydney, she does a nice job of showing that there's more to college than being a popular sorority girl. Still, before you assume that it's just another slam on contemporary Greek life, rest assured that the underlying message is about using your college experiences to do what makes you happy and maybe even help others along the way, no matter what it is.

Matt Long and Sara Paxton also turn in fun performances, if not a bit clichéd, but most people who go to see this movie in the first place won't mind that too much. They had to take on the age-old roles of the Prince Charming and Wicked Witch, but both managed to keep it completely lighthearted and enjoyable. Some have said that Paxton was not convincing enough, but I thought she nailed that "evil eye" and the nasty, b*tchy exterior perfectly, and Long had terrific chemistry with Bynes. I have to admit that I have never seen a guy serenade a girl with roses and a line of fraternity singers in a library (although it would be quite nice to experience), but if that scene annoys you, then you were probably never interested in the standard chick flick, anyway. Movies like this are supposed to entertain and provide a brief retreat from reality, so it's not really worth it to argue the plausibility of these things.

The Seven Dorks are also a delight (of the seven original characters, I noted Dopey, Grumpy, Doc, and Sleepy), and another unexpected gem is Crystal Hunt, whose name in the film (Dinky) is more than enough to describe her personality. Some might be annoyed by her, I guess, but as for me, she was a genuine scene-stealer who made me laugh every time she came on screen.

My only gripe with this overall successful and enjoyable movie is that as much as Amanda Bynes wants to gain some respect as a dramatic actress, I think she may be better off sticking with the comedy. I don't mean to be critical, because she truly is one of my favorite young actresses (not to mention a true class act compared to certain others), but she had a few emotional scenes here that called on her to cry and put on a pouty face, and I just could not buy into it. Maybe it's just that Bynes has established herself as a goofy, off-the-wall comedienne since she was about 9 years old, but she seemed to be trying way too hard with the drama. Perhaps she will improve with that as she gets older and takes on different types of roles, but again, Bynes is a born natural with comedy, and I hope she never strays from that.

Anyway, now that this is on DVD, it is a perfect movie to rent on a Saturday night and enjoy with some popcorn and good friends. If this is your kind of flick, then you know who you are, and the predictable, slightly corny plot will not bother you a bit (and in fact, it's exactly what makes it good!)

As I watched this latest Amanda Bynes film it struck me that the plot is a cross between Snow White and Revenge of the Nerds. Bynes, one of the funniest teen actresses since Patty Duke, plays a girl pledged to a sorority that her late mother belonged to. But she doesn't fit in with the snobs and gets kicked out, so she lives with seven nerds, or dorks. They help her prepare for a date, and in return she helps them campaign for student council against the popular sorority and fraternity kids that have been ruling the campus for decades. Bynes is very funny, the story is good (based on Snow White), and the comedy is almost entirely suitable for the whole family - but still very funny. John Schneider (Smallville) plays her father.