10 Things I Hate About You

showing at ABC, George Street, Sat 14 August - Thursday 19 August

10 things I didn’t hate about this film -
1. It is (loosely) based on Shakespeare, so it’s, like, culture, innit?
2. It has metamorphosed one of the most disgustingly misogynistic works every written into a charming romantic comedy, so you leave the cinema in an up-beat mood rather than an indignant huff.
3. It is genuinely funny to all ages without being patronising, offensive or crass.
4. It’s not preachy - all the adults are decidedly more bizarre than the teens.
5. There are some great lines - ‘If you can be overwhelmed and underwhelmed, can you just be whelmed?’ ‘I think you can in Europe’.
6. Julia Stiles (as Kat Stratford, the shrew) is very attractive (though anorexically thin) and does a fine job of showing off her dazzling wits. Heath Ledger’s really not bad as her tamer either, with his swarthy, tall, dark and intentionally mysterious way that’s oh-so-very appealing.
7. The able supporting cast is filled with familiar faces - Joseph ‘Third Rock’ Gordon- Levitt and Larisa Oleynik (last seen dissolving into a metallic puddle as Alex Mack) - and for once in a teen comedy, do not have an average age of 26.
8. It compares favourably with Clueless and other such American high-school based literary rip-offs (sorry, ‘adaptations’) in that there’s enough of the original plot to make it interesting, but all the dialogue is new so the film itself is fresh.
9. It has a great soundtrack.
10. OK, it’s a bit mawkish, a bit cheesy, a bit overly moralistic, but it’s accessible, enjoyable, a quality example of the genre and, most importantly, great fun.

Adrian Healey
13.8.99