The Perfect Score

Those expecting cinematic events like the Godfather or Saving Private Ryan.

Stop reading this.

Those expecting crude teen humor films featuring underage drinking and nudity, such as Road Trip and Varsity Blues.

Stop reading this.

But those of you looking for a teen movie full of the typical adolescent hinjinx and cheap laughs.

Start reading this.

The Perfect Score won't light up the box office or have everyone waiting day after day for its release onto DVD.

Instead, it's a movie targeted towards middle schoolers, high schoolers, and most college students.

Typically good kids under rough circumstances, most of us who have taken the SATs remember the pain in the arse they were. Throw in two very attractive, and talented acting-capable, girls...two guys and a jock...and an Asian pothead quick with one liners...

and you got a pretty solid movie.

While the Perfect Score won't give you everything you want, I feel that it will make you just happy enough that you caught the showing.

So if you're looking for a movie to sit back and relax too...and perhaps vicariously wonder if you could steal the answers to the SAT...check out the movie.

I enjoyed it, and chances are if you kept on reading this post.

You will too.

There's lots of clichés and stereotypes to endure when watching a high school movie. For the most of it, The Perfect Score manages to avoid most of these clichés though the characters are a bit stereotypical. There's the brainy kid, the rebel, the stoner, the loser, the jock and the good guy. Hardly a breathtaking assortment of originals eh?

But their plan to steal the SAT scores and their interaction together are what make this movie worthwhile. The unimaginative marketing for this movie claims it to be Ocean's 11 meets The Breakfast Club. But the actors are carrying the movie, doing the best they can with weak material, rather than the 'wild' premise.

I especially liked Roy, the stoner and narrator as he got the most back story and had more a character arc than the rest of them. And it was pleasant to have the lovely, oh-so-cute Erika Christensen though I'm not too fussed about Scarlett Johansen (she looks like a teenage version of my mother!). A non-Shaggy, but still manic, Matthew Lillard has a small role as a concerned big brother.

You'll not remember it 5 minutes after the credits role but for a non-threatening, easy-going movie The Perfect Score fits nicely. You could do a helluva lot worse. And what else do you expect from an MTV movie?

The DVD is in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen with lackluster Dolby 5.1, though to be fair it mostly a dialogue-driven movie. There are a bunch of fluff features for those who care.

Of course, this isn't great citizen kane style cinema, but this movie is fun to watch, especially if you are in the target demographic like me. This is a typical teen/college movie, minus the grossness of movies like American pie. If you liked "Better luck tomorrow" (also distributed by MTV films), then I think you will like this one. I have to say that "better luck tomorrow" was a much, much, better teen scam/heist movie, but this one rolls along merrily. The script isn't really well done, but it has a few good jokes, like "If they make it into a movie, I wonder who'll play me...I hope your hung like a horse." Scarlet Johansson is great, as always, even with this auto-pilot acting.(like in eight legged feaks, but tha's what I like about Scarlet. She switches from camp/kitch/crap to great movies without any difficulty) The movie is perfect for when you're way to stressed because of your exams at college, like me today.

Despite its relatable subject matter, The Perfect Score delivers a less than perfect portrayal of the well-documented issue of standardized tests. Yes, the film takes a more light-hearted approach on purpose (and kudos to the Matrix reference scene), but it feels like the film is dancing in the shallow end of a very deep body of water. There are a number of hot topics that are quickly glossed over, and the moral of the story becomes glaringly obvious way too early.

All that being said, there are a few chuckles and it's fun to see some A-list celebs when they were younger. You'll just need to look past the cheesy romance, sub-par acting, and unrealistic plot points to get the most out of it. Any secret hopes you have that this is a high school version Ocean's Eleven movie should be dampered.

Verdict: Watch.

The Perfect Score is one of those movies you would expect to be incredibly stupid. The premise is absurd: kids try to steal the answers to the SAT. However, I found myself enjoying this movie. The characters are likable and have good reason to cross the line to cheat on the SAT. I especially enjoy Erika Christenson (who I didn't recognize from her work in Traffic and Swimfam) as the girl who needs a high SAT score to get into Brown University. This movie shows the pressure that high school students have on standardized testing in general. Their grades may be good, but without a good score on this one test makes the difference in what college they can get into. I was not a fan of standardized tests in high school and I do not like them now. I think that dislike of these tests adds to the appeal the movie. I give this movie a 6/10. It is worth 90 minutes of your time.