Clueless (A- or 3.5/4 stars)
Young, budding star Alicia Silverstone plays Valley girl Cher Horowitz in 'Clueless', a satire/comedy written & directed by Amy Heckerling. Cher's a pretty, blonde, charmingly snooty 16 yr. old who knows how to talk anyone into doing just about anything (demonstrated by her voice-overs throughout the film). She lives in a beautiful mansion with her rich father (Dan Hedaya), uses a computer to help her pick out her wardrobe for school, & is trying to learn how to drive; but it's hopeless. It's not easy for Cher to be the most popular & pretty girl at Beverly Hills High School.
ou see, she's viewed as one of the scheming Betties (hot girls). And then there are the loser ladies (potheads), the persistent Barney's (ugly guys), & wound-up teachers who 'go postal' (freak out). In fact, Cher would rather argue with those postal teachers for better grades than do the actual homework to earn them. Now, this is when Cher & her best friend Dionne (Stacey Dash) - who is equally superficial - cook up a few escapades for us to see: 1) they decide to play matchmaker(s) for 2 teachers who won't give them the grades they want. They think that making them 'happy' will help improve their grades. And they would be right. And 2) not content with just this success, Cher then spots a new girl at school, Tai (Brittany Murphy); a sweet, but 'clueless' transfer student who's in desperate need of a make-over and a boyfriend.
But it's after helping Tai that Cher realizes that she wants a boyfriend herself; needing her own spiritual make-over before finding the right man for her. Will she 'get' that there's more to life than popularity & clothes? Could the man of her dreams be one of 2 'total Baldwins' (hunks)? Or a sexy new classmate? Or will it be someone closer to home (a solid Paul Rudd)? Obviously, when it comes to lover, she's still clueless.
Based from Jane Austen's Emma, this film does a great job both paying homage to - and parodying the source material. It's wickedly humorous, well-observed, & a farce for the ages. The character of Cher is a great cinematic heroine. And I loved her (& her friend's) use of contemporary teen talk. I was in stitches several times. Probably the best aspect of the film, along with the cast, is its overall brightness. It's a fun, light, fresh comedy that's almost impossible to dislike. Now, there isn't much character development or intriguing subtext concerning the high school milieu.
But that's not the point of this film. It's meant to entertain. The direction is assured, the writing is crisp (using great pop references, one-liners, & inventive comedy), & the characters, though shallow, are highly rootable. Alicia Silverstone (whom I now have a crush on) gives us the perfect Cher. Yes, she's vacuous, but she's also full of good intentions & we rejoice as she overcomes her early flaws. Now, 'Clueless' isn't perfect. And the movie isn't really about anything. But I highly recommend it as unabashed, X-generational fun. Heck, I wouldn't mind seeing it again, right now.
ou see, she's viewed as one of the scheming Betties (hot girls). And then there are the loser ladies (potheads), the persistent Barney's (ugly guys), & wound-up teachers who 'go postal' (freak out). In fact, Cher would rather argue with those postal teachers for better grades than do the actual homework to earn them. Now, this is when Cher & her best friend Dionne (Stacey Dash) - who is equally superficial - cook up a few escapades for us to see: 1) they decide to play matchmaker(s) for 2 teachers who won't give them the grades they want. They think that making them 'happy' will help improve their grades. And they would be right. And 2) not content with just this success, Cher then spots a new girl at school, Tai (Brittany Murphy); a sweet, but 'clueless' transfer student who's in desperate need of a make-over and a boyfriend.
But it's after helping Tai that Cher realizes that she wants a boyfriend herself; needing her own spiritual make-over before finding the right man for her. Will she 'get' that there's more to life than popularity & clothes? Could the man of her dreams be one of 2 'total Baldwins' (hunks)? Or a sexy new classmate? Or will it be someone closer to home (a solid Paul Rudd)? Obviously, when it comes to lover, she's still clueless.
Based from Jane Austen's Emma, this film does a great job both paying homage to - and parodying the source material. It's wickedly humorous, well-observed, & a farce for the ages. The character of Cher is a great cinematic heroine. And I loved her (& her friend's) use of contemporary teen talk. I was in stitches several times. Probably the best aspect of the film, along with the cast, is its overall brightness. It's a fun, light, fresh comedy that's almost impossible to dislike. Now, there isn't much character development or intriguing subtext concerning the high school milieu.
But that's not the point of this film. It's meant to entertain. The direction is assured, the writing is crisp (using great pop references, one-liners, & inventive comedy), & the characters, though shallow, are highly rootable. Alicia Silverstone (whom I now have a crush on) gives us the perfect Cher. Yes, she's vacuous, but she's also full of good intentions & we rejoice as she overcomes her early flaws. Now, 'Clueless' isn't perfect. And the movie isn't really about anything. But I highly recommend it as unabashed, X-generational fun. Heck, I wouldn't mind seeing it again, right now.