So lovably formulaic that the "dramatic equation" the piece works from is practically flashed on screen at regular intervals, like the telephone number for an infomercial ordering line! Jennifer Grey is outstanding as the coldly Machiavellian "popular girl" who foolishly creates her own rival out of Nerdly Chick Numero Uno. Watch the hunky high-school footballers trip over themselves with sexual anticipation the moment this homely creature applies some eyeliner. A hoot!
ABC Afterschool Specials (TV Series)
The Great Love Experiment (1984)
User Reviews
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little known gem of a teen movie
triple825 March 2005
Warning: Spoilers
For people who have a fondness for 80's teen movies, particularly movies like Can't buy me love, for example, this little gem may have gone unnoticed. Although,, this isn't a very well known picture, it's a very fun one, and as good or better as many of the more famous pictures of this genre.
The plot's been gone over a bit but briefly-Jen is a popular cheerleader. She's got it all-or so it appears on the surface. Good looks, personality, great boyfriend, she's a cheerleader. Now due to rather strange circumstances, she befriends Maude a plain shy girl. Maude, with Jen's help begins to blossom and not only becomes more of an extrovert, she blossoms into a beauty. Before Jen knows it, all her friends would rather be around Maude then her. Unknown to Maude, the friendship of Jen wasn't by chance- it was an experiment(hence the title.) Jen wanted to see if she could change Maude. What she didn't count on is everyone gravitating toward Maude for real-including her own boyfriend. Maude is a genuinely nice person and Jen is-a little superficial. Jen becomes consumed by jealousy of Maude until she eventually tells her everything.
That's just part of it. The movie is obviously very formulaic but also really really fun and a great teen movie, much better then some of the garbage that's out today. At one point, it was running on cable, so I suggest to look for it. The cast is great and everyone does a good job in their roles. Jennifer Gray has a part as well, an early role for her.
The movie's premise is good, and the characters are all well developed without being over the top. Even Maude's transformation is believable. Nothing rings false in this movie.
So for those who like movies such as Can't buy me love, revenge of the nerds etc etc, check this little gem out. It's formulatic alright, but it's cute, it's believable, it's well acted and it's fun. Wait till you see Maude's transformation too! I give this 7 of 10.
The plot's been gone over a bit but briefly-Jen is a popular cheerleader. She's got it all-or so it appears on the surface. Good looks, personality, great boyfriend, she's a cheerleader. Now due to rather strange circumstances, she befriends Maude a plain shy girl. Maude, with Jen's help begins to blossom and not only becomes more of an extrovert, she blossoms into a beauty. Before Jen knows it, all her friends would rather be around Maude then her. Unknown to Maude, the friendship of Jen wasn't by chance- it was an experiment(hence the title.) Jen wanted to see if she could change Maude. What she didn't count on is everyone gravitating toward Maude for real-including her own boyfriend. Maude is a genuinely nice person and Jen is-a little superficial. Jen becomes consumed by jealousy of Maude until she eventually tells her everything.
That's just part of it. The movie is obviously very formulaic but also really really fun and a great teen movie, much better then some of the garbage that's out today. At one point, it was running on cable, so I suggest to look for it. The cast is great and everyone does a good job in their roles. Jennifer Gray has a part as well, an early role for her.
The movie's premise is good, and the characters are all well developed without being over the top. Even Maude's transformation is believable. Nothing rings false in this movie.
So for those who like movies such as Can't buy me love, revenge of the nerds etc etc, check this little gem out. It's formulatic alright, but it's cute, it's believable, it's well acted and it's fun. Wait till you see Maude's transformation too! I give this 7 of 10.
Return now to those glory days of afterschool TV specials!
emm25 November 1998
Those hour-long Scholastic teenage specials were meant to motivate and entertain at the same time. Sort of made you wonder whether you were going to survive high school, right? It's a shame they've become a little hokey in recent times, though. Let's face it, our broadcasters will do anything to get huge ratings on JERRY SPRINGER and 5 o' clock newscasts! Nevertheless, this one is just like all the other "after school" TV movies / specials as they taught important lessons in teenage life. How they were known to raise the awareness level of society remains. Time has passed by and while the modern TV world has traded adolescent programming for reruns of FULL HOUSE, the videos are getting hard to find. I recommend this and other programs of this nature only to public schools and institutions (and I know I've seen plenty in my middle-high school days. The real deal movie junkies will leave this one alone, but if you're keeping track of who starred in what, do look for actress Jennifer Grey (DIRTY DANCING) in an early effort as a student.
You can't pretend to be friends unless you have no feelings!
fixerup20 October 2002
Warning: Spoilers
Spoilers ahead:
Jen Robins is the most popular girl at her high school. She's a cheerleader and hangs out with the in-crowd. The trouble with Jen is she is all surface and no substance. Jen is aware of her insecurities and deals with them privately. It is for this reason that her surface personality subconsciously teaches her inner self a beautiful lesson. Jen has a boyfriend and he also sees some of the weaknesses in Jen as well as her other close friends. Jens boyfriend is doing a study in the form of a biology experiment for his biology class which he hopes to prove that taking two mice and isolating one in a cage with no contact or affections, and the other one being played with and loved and nurtured. He hopes to prove that the mouse that has been loved and pampered will out perform the unloved\ignored mouse in all respects. Jen gets the idea to try the experiment on a real person, but who? She's talks her boyfriend and close friends into helping and they reluctantly agree. They all take a vow of silence to keep it a secret, always. This is about the time that "Maude Harris" shows up and is very clumsy. Jen decides then and there that Maude was going to be there experimental subject. Jen cooks up scheme after scheme from making the initial meeting and then working her magic with the other friends she knows that are guys by having them ask Maude out on dates. Jen does a makeover on Maude and builds her self confidence as a young woman and person. The story is not original in the sense that you can figure where the movie is headed. The rising popularity of Maude is great at first for Jen because she feels successful that her plan is working. Jens other friends and acquaintances that aren't part of the secret experiment are a little jealous about Maude and can't figure out why Jen has all of a sudden taken an interest in spending time with Maude. Pretty soon Jens boyfriend finds it very nice to talk to Maude as well as her other friends. Maude is a very down to earth girl with her personality and Jen is a very superficial girl with a facade for a personality. The more these two personalities are two together the more jealous Jen becomes, she's feels like a phony. Her boyfriend and other friends like being with Maude and talking to her because "She is so real" She's not like some kind of a wind-up doll and you guessed it, Jen feels just like a wind-up doll. Jens jealously builds to the point where she tells Maude about the experiment and it breaks Maude's heart. In the end everyone learned a valuable lesson about friendships and we have our happy ending. All in All for a short simply story it leaves you with a nice warm fuzzy feeling. I have seen it several times and each time I get this warm feeling. This kind of show would be good for any age person to see and will leave it's message in your heart long after seeing it.
Jen Robins is the most popular girl at her high school. She's a cheerleader and hangs out with the in-crowd. The trouble with Jen is she is all surface and no substance. Jen is aware of her insecurities and deals with them privately. It is for this reason that her surface personality subconsciously teaches her inner self a beautiful lesson. Jen has a boyfriend and he also sees some of the weaknesses in Jen as well as her other close friends. Jens boyfriend is doing a study in the form of a biology experiment for his biology class which he hopes to prove that taking two mice and isolating one in a cage with no contact or affections, and the other one being played with and loved and nurtured. He hopes to prove that the mouse that has been loved and pampered will out perform the unloved\ignored mouse in all respects. Jen gets the idea to try the experiment on a real person, but who? She's talks her boyfriend and close friends into helping and they reluctantly agree. They all take a vow of silence to keep it a secret, always. This is about the time that "Maude Harris" shows up and is very clumsy. Jen decides then and there that Maude was going to be there experimental subject. Jen cooks up scheme after scheme from making the initial meeting and then working her magic with the other friends she knows that are guys by having them ask Maude out on dates. Jen does a makeover on Maude and builds her self confidence as a young woman and person. The story is not original in the sense that you can figure where the movie is headed. The rising popularity of Maude is great at first for Jen because she feels successful that her plan is working. Jens other friends and acquaintances that aren't part of the secret experiment are a little jealous about Maude and can't figure out why Jen has all of a sudden taken an interest in spending time with Maude. Pretty soon Jens boyfriend finds it very nice to talk to Maude as well as her other friends. Maude is a very down to earth girl with her personality and Jen is a very superficial girl with a facade for a personality. The more these two personalities are two together the more jealous Jen becomes, she's feels like a phony. Her boyfriend and other friends like being with Maude and talking to her because "She is so real" She's not like some kind of a wind-up doll and you guessed it, Jen feels just like a wind-up doll. Jens jealously builds to the point where she tells Maude about the experiment and it breaks Maude's heart. In the end everyone learned a valuable lesson about friendships and we have our happy ending. All in All for a short simply story it leaves you with a nice warm fuzzy feeling. I have seen it several times and each time I get this warm feeling. This kind of show would be good for any age person to see and will leave it's message in your heart long after seeing it.
Geat movie about losers and in the in crowd and great acting by Pete Kowanko.
RNE12 June 2004
Maude is a loser girl who is about to meet the in crowd at her high school. The in crowd wants to experiment in making friends with the school's losers and it just so happens they run into Maude.
This is a great movie if you like teenage dramas. But, the real reason to see this film is to check out Peter Kowanko who plays the cowboy jock Dolph. Peter steels the show with his acting and his awesome baby face. Lets face it most of us wanted the big jock in school and Peter plays the role so well.Pete interacts with the loser girl so well and you can't help but want to kiss big Dolph for being so sweet. Check out this movie and see Pete, the all American guy in action.
This is a great movie if you like teenage dramas. But, the real reason to see this film is to check out Peter Kowanko who plays the cowboy jock Dolph. Peter steels the show with his acting and his awesome baby face. Lets face it most of us wanted the big jock in school and Peter plays the role so well.Pete interacts with the loser girl so well and you can't help but want to kiss big Dolph for being so sweet. Check out this movie and see Pete, the all American guy in action.
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