10 Things I Hate About You
Directed by Gil Junger
Released in 1999
Genre: Comedy, drama, romance
Themes: Family, relationships, social guidelines, high school
This film is part of my coursework and so rather than study the micro-features, I want to focus on the relation to society and it's contrasts and similarities to other movies of the same genre. This movie's plot follows the age-old tale of a nerd trying to get a girl supposedly far out of his league but with a twist. One of the very first opening scenes is one of the protagonists being escorted around his new school being introduced to all of the friendship groups and they are all stereotypical. Just nameless individuals who's props and costumes serve to give them little to no personality out of their stereotypes. For example the nerds who are unhealthy, acne ridden with button up shirts and math equipment. However this film doesn't completely obey the rules of social queues. A huge plot point in the film is when the supposed 'bad boy' opens up to the supposed 'bad girl' and vice versa. They reveal that they're not really as war-torn and impartial to the world around them like everyone thinks. They just stay that way because everyone expects them to. This reveals there's more to this movie than simply the 'taming of the shrew' and the 'nerd gets the girl' plot lines. It's at least somewhat self aware of it's own hypocritical portrayal of the social groups high school forces students into.
In comparison to most teen movies from it's own time and modern day, 10 Things I Hate About You integrates cliches in such a way that it no longer becomes a cliche. It's not exactly a social commentary on high school like The Breakfast Club but it's not quite a cheesy love story like Grease either.
Released in 1999
Genre: Comedy, drama, romance
Themes: Family, relationships, social guidelines, high school
This film is part of my coursework and so rather than study the micro-features, I want to focus on the relation to society and it's contrasts and similarities to other movies of the same genre. This movie's plot follows the age-old tale of a nerd trying to get a girl supposedly far out of his league but with a twist. One of the very first opening scenes is one of the protagonists being escorted around his new school being introduced to all of the friendship groups and they are all stereotypical. Just nameless individuals who's props and costumes serve to give them little to no personality out of their stereotypes. For example the nerds who are unhealthy, acne ridden with button up shirts and math equipment. However this film doesn't completely obey the rules of social queues. A huge plot point in the film is when the supposed 'bad boy' opens up to the supposed 'bad girl' and vice versa. They reveal that they're not really as war-torn and impartial to the world around them like everyone thinks. They just stay that way because everyone expects them to. This reveals there's more to this movie than simply the 'taming of the shrew' and the 'nerd gets the girl' plot lines. It's at least somewhat self aware of it's own hypocritical portrayal of the social groups high school forces students into.
In comparison to most teen movies from it's own time and modern day, 10 Things I Hate About You integrates cliches in such a way that it no longer becomes a cliche. It's not exactly a social commentary on high school like The Breakfast Club but it's not quite a cheesy love story like Grease either.
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