All right....
I won't lie..there is just a little something Johnny Depp about Thomas McDonell. Is it the hair, alone? Maybe, its the lips..that's it..that makes him so Johnny Depp. Before long, it'll be Thomas McDonell..I'm thinking of...not Johnny Depp. He just doesn't look like a Thomas to me. He's Jesse in the movie. And don't let it stop there..there might be just a little something Michael Pitt about Joe Adler too, who plays Rolo.
The film is quite different than most movies about Prom. Sure, its stories of couples getting ready for Prom. A variety people, in fact. Its not about what is coming after prom, which is that age old plight...sex..No, this is about different people coming together one night for that last dance before graduation. Some of the couples might break up before they ever get there.
You have Nova who is the class president, played by the down to earth Aimee Teegarden who is all set for the perfect prom. She's in charge of prom and perhaps a workaholic - which might be the reason she doesn't have a date. She meets bad-boy Thomas McDonell as her last hope of getting the prom together after a little disaster of the prom decorations.
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| Devaughn Nixon as Tyler |
The down fall is, the people who were responsible for this decoration problem don't even show any remorse. Oh well...
Then you have that wonderful funny guy Nicholas Braun who can't seem to find a date. Along with Joe Adler's Rolo and his mystery date. There is the couple who have been together since middle school, Yin Chang and Justin Kusnitz (who is unrecognizable with glasses) having problems telling each other the truth. While another, Kylie Bunburry and DeVaughn Nixon are just about at the breaking point. Add a couple of Sophomores to the mix and well..you've got Prom.
Now this isn't a laugh a minute comedy. You, might find it a tad slow. But these are stories that perhaps you can relate too. Plus, its the story of how Nova and Jesse meet. I did like how the teens related to their parents. You have to remember it is PG, but there are still some poignant moments. And yes, I'm glad I got see Thomas McDonnell in a movie. I hope this leads to more movies for him.
There was one story I thought might have been better off if it had ended in a gay storyline, but you won't find a gay storyline in this movie. I really enjoyed the soundtrack. Allstar Weekend's Not your Birthday is in the playlist, along with Dreams by Passion Pit, Lauren Hillman's Almost There and Please Speak well of Me by the Weepies, to name a few.
Really, some sweet moments, learning about yourself and love. I'm not sure it'll be a movie for everyone. But a few of us will be happy to see this cast together. After all, its said that Justin Kusnitz is the next Bruce Campbell. He was in the indie cult hit Dance of the Dead (A total different Prom movie!). So that's something to think about when you watch this. Like the next generation of actors worth watching.
STORYLINE:
A group of teenagers get ready for their high school prom.
credits!