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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Most Wonderful & "Ironic" Surprise With Loads Of Cameos!, June 21, 2004
I admit that I purchased this movie for the plain and simple fact that Dame Helen Mirren appears in it. I can also say with all honesty that I have never watched a single episode of Dawson's Creek or 7th Heaven. I am a huge fan of Mirren's versatile acting abilities. She is amazing in this film, but I won't gush on about her... However, I was pleasantly pleased and surprised with this film and all of it's actors. It is a well written script by Scream's Kevin Williamson who also shows his ability to direct in his debut. I also enjoyed several cameo appearances by faces that I haven't seen in a while. The principal is played by Michael McKean. You knew him as Lenny Koznowski, the nasal, nerdish pal of Andrew "Squiggy" Squigman on the hit TV series Laverne and Shirley. Molly Ringwald is Miss Banks, the administrative assistant in the school's office, Vivica A. Fox plays guidance counsellor, Miss Gold and Jeffrey Tambor as Coach "Spanky" Wenchell. The movie moves at a quick pace and has many twists, turns and thrills! Highly recommended for a family fun movie night! Happy Watching!
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Decent Movie, Bad Conclusion, September 5, 2000
I wasn't sure what to expect when I first saw this movie awhile ago. Would it be a crazy teen romp complete with insane pranks on teachers and classmates alike? Or would it be a dramatic piece with lessons and morals to spare? The answer? A little bit of both. While I won't say I loved this movie, I did love Katie Holmes'character transformation here. From serious, studious bookworm to adventurous and optimistic. Cool job with the acting and writing there. Others may praise Helen Mirren's portrayal of Mrs. Tingle as being the highlight but for me it was Katie who stole the show. My only real problem with this movie is the ending. Too many issues are glossed over for a happy, neatly packaged conclusion. The kids may have hated Mrs. Tingle for she was no doubt a bitter old lady, but the kids did indeed have a stolen test paper. What was Mrs. Tingle to do? Ignore that completely? And the issue is basically forgotten by the end of the film as the three students walk away scot free. Let's not forget that they kidnapped Mrs. Tingle and shot her with an arrow before she ever took a shot at them. The movie seems to abandon all of this. This movie would've been much better with a more realistic ending.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Movie!, August 14, 2000
By A Customer
This was one of the best movies I have seen recently. Kevin Williamson clearly shows off all his talent with a very witty script and shows that he can also direct. The movie follows Leigh Ann Watson (Holmes) as she struggles to get a much needed scholarship to get into college. All she needs is an A in History. When the history teacher Mrs. Tingle (Mirren) falsely accuses her of cheating, her two friends Jo Lynn (Coughlan) and Luke (Watson), go to Mrs. Tingle's house to prove Leigh Ann innocent. When their plan goes way out of control, they decide that it is time to give her lesson! This movie shines with talent from Helen Mirren who is perfect for the role as the teacher from hell. The teen cast was impressive as well. Katie Holmes plays the role of Leigh Ann with such sympathy, you really get pulled into the situation. And the new actress Marisa Coughlan pulls off an amazing performance, certainty one of the best highlights of this film was seeing her comedic scenes, especially when she imitates perfectly Linda Blairs performance in The Exorcist. Barry Watson also did an impressive job in the role as Luke, the boy Jo Lynn and Leigh Ann both secretly have crushes on. Molly Ringwald and Vivica A. Fox both have cameos as members of Grandsboro High Schools staff. Overall, this movie is wonderful in all genres. It is a wonderful comedy, drama, and thriller all rolled into one great movie. If you didn't catch this one in theaters, you should definitely rent it. You won't regret it! Grade: A
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