16. 10 Things I Hate About You; movie review

 

10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU

Cert 12

94 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate language and sex references

It may be a chick flick, but 10 Things I Hate About You has become iconic for several reasons.

This was Heath Ledger's introduction to Hollywood - his first picture following his move from Australia, and it created immediate heart-throb status.

It was also crucial to the rise in stardom of Julia Stiles and Joseph-Gordon Levitt.

Meanwhile, Director Gil Junger faced the task of making the movie on the lines of Shakespeare's Taming Of The Shrew.

Neither Mrs W nor I had seen it before and were surprised at how much we enjoyed the 25th anniversary re-release of what is essentially a formula storyline.

So, we knew how it would end but were taken by how Junger encourages his young cast to the finish line.

Levitt plays Cameron, the new kid at Padua High School who falls instantly with Bianca (Larisa Oleynik), the resident pretty girl.

However, his way is barred by the school's cool jock (Andrew Keegan) and by Bianca's dad (Larry Miller), who won't allow her to date unless her sister, Kat (Stiles), does too.

(Note that Padua is the city in Taming of the Shrew, that Kat and Bianca are the names of characters, and their surname is Stratford, Shakespeare's birthplace).

Anyway, their dad's red line seems impassable because Kat is an aggressive loner who has declared herself uninterested in going on dates or having anything to do with boys.

Then it strikes Cameron and his accomplice (David Krumholtz) that the answer could be the mysterious Patrick (Ledger) - a lad so cool and feared that he could be the only one to tame her.

And so they begin to spin a web that will lead in and out of love, see dreams shattered and rebuilt and be played along to a great soundtrack.

There is a smattering of funny gags between the romance (we laughed out loud at the scene with the brass band on the football ground) and the occasional moment of pathos.

But 10 Things I Hate About You will be remembered for the chemistry between Ledger and Stiles and for being an essential rung of a far too-short career.

PS Be sure to stay for the credits because they include funny outtakes.

Reasons to watch: Classic teenage chick flick

Reasons to avoid: Cheesy in parts

Laughs: Two

Jumps: None

Vomit: Yes

Nudity: None

Overall review: 7.5/10

Did you know? The school used in the film is Stadium High School located in Tacoma, Washington. The school was first built as a grand, chateau-style railroad station hotel, but after it suffered fire damage it was renovated into a high school.

The final word. Julia Stiles on Heath Ledger: "He had a zest for life and just was like always, he was never checked out. He was always totally engaged with everybody. Really interesting, remarkable person and actor.” Elle

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