Can't Hardly Wait
Starring: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ethan Embry, Charlie Korsmo, Lauren Ambrose, Peter Facinelli, Seth Green, Sean Patrick Thomas, Freddy Rodriguez, Donald Faison, Breckin Meyer, Jason Segel
Directed by: Harry Elfont, Deborah Kaplan
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, Romance
1998
Times Seen:
Tim: 4
Summary: A large group of high school students come together for one last party of their senior year. Preston (Ethan Embry) is shocked to learn that Mike (Peter Facinelli) and Amanda (Jennifer Love Hewitt) have broken up. He sees his one chance to finally tell her how he feels.
Review:
Tim: I really enjoyed this movie. It is your typical teen comedy/romance, not adding anything particularly new to the genre. However, it is nearly flawless in its execution, giving us a wildly entertaining story with a huge amount of smaller subplots, all of which are incredibly interesting. The cast is fantastic, the movie is funny, and this all amounts to a truly memorable film. This movie is just a joy to watch, and I am a huge fan.
I want to talk about the cast, because it features one of the greatest young casts in recent (or distant) memory. Seriously- everyone is in this movie. You have Ethan Embry, whom I have always like (probably because of this film)- playing such an entertaining everyman. We truly root for him in this movie. Jennifer Love Hewitt plays the most popular girl in school, and she looks the part. I really liked her in this movie. I thought Embry and Hewitt were perfect for their roles, and I liked the thought of them together. Peter Facinelli is likewise perfect as the school's biggest jock. Seth Green is the African-American wannabe, who meets up with Lauren Ambrose, the snobby girl who frequently criticizes everything. The film also has an extensive supporting cast, most of whom are instantly recognizable. Sean Patrick Thomas, Selma Blair, Melissa Joan Hart, Jenna Elfman, and Jerry O'Connell all make appearances. The film even has Breckin Meyer, Donald Faison, and Jason Segel. The cast is truly unbelievable, and it made me love this movie even more. What truly works here is that each actor was cast in the perfect role. They exactly embody that guy or girl in high school that so easily falls into a stereotype. However, they are believable and enjoyable, making their characters not feel like stereotypes.
I was so impressed that this movie has so many different storylines, and they are all told quite well. The movie balances all these different subplots. Somehow, we never feel like any storyline is rushed or shortened at the expense of the others. Miraculously, we get all these subplots, and we never feel cheated out of any of them. They all work well together and are given sufficient screen time. This was very surprising and welcome.
The movie also has some truly terrific scenes. I'll always remember the first time Jennifer Love Hewitt comes on screen. It is a great entrance. Ethan Embry and Jenna Elfman discussing love and Barry Manilow is another classic. I also thought Seth Green and Lauren Ambrose had some great moments in an upstairs bathroom. One of my favorite scenes is Peter Facinelli's rejection by Hewitt, and the laughter from the group that follows.
Can't Hardly Wait is an extremely underrated movie. Teen comedies are so often weak, silly, or stupid. This movie transcends the genre and offers up a truly great movie. It remains one of my favorite high school movies, and I believe it will continue to stand the test of time.
Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8
If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Sweet Home Alabama, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Twilight, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Scream