The Perfect Score (2004)

Six high school seniors decide to break into the Princeton Testing Center so they can steal the answers to their upcoming SAT tests and all get perfect scores.

Director:

Brian Robbins

Writers:

Marc Hyman (story), Jon Zack (story)

Stars:

Scarlett Johansson, Erika Christensen, Chris Evans

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Erika Christensen	...	Anna
Chris Evans	...	Kyle
Bryan Greenberg	...	Matty Matthews
Scarlett Johansson	...	Francesca
Darius Miles	...	Desmond
Leonardo Nam	...	Roy
Tyra Ferrell	...	Desmond's Mother
Matthew Lillard	...	Larry
Vanessa Angel	...	Anita Donlee
Bill Mackenzie	...	Lobby Guard
Dan Zukovic	...	Mr. G
Iris Quinn	...	Kyle's Mother
Lorena Gale	...	Proctor
Patricia Idlette	...	Receptionist
Lynda Boyd	...	Anna's Mother

Storyline

Six teenagers from diverse backgrounds - among them the school's star basketball player - conspire to break into a SAT testing center to steal the answers in hope of acing their exam. They ultimately realize that the answer to their problems and the key to their happiness may not lie in achieving a perfect score.

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Plot Keywords:

pantyhose | test | high school | exam | teenager | 

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Taglines:

The S.A.T is hard to take. It's even harder to steal.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for language, sexual content and some drug references

Details

Official Sites:

Paramount Pictures

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 January 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Voll gepunktet

Filming Locations:

Chemistry Building, University of British Columbia, Robson Square Campus - 800 Robson Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$40,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,873,819, 1 February 2004, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$10,387,706, 28 March 2004

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, MTV Films, Spyglass Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The first of six films that Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson star in together.

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Goofs

Near the end of the movie when Francesca kisses Matty their heads tilt to the left, but when shown from the reverse angle their heads are tilted to the right.

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Quotes

Francesca: [everyone's explaining why they want to steal the SATs] Ok, I'll go first. I'm here to make new friends. Oh, and for the wine.

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Connections

Remake of How to Cheat in the Leaving Certificate (1997)

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Soundtracks

Force Marker
Written and Performed by Brian Eno
Courtesy of Opal Music, London

User Reviews

So far, absolutely delightful!

Of COURSE this is not Gone With the Wind or The Godfather or Apocalypse Now, it's a teen flick and I find it absolutely hilarious, and vastly underrated by some very snobbish commentary I've read.

First, please understand that this reviewer is several things: A BIG movie buff capable of separating movies into genres and mental compartments rather than comparing apples to oranges in boneheaded fashion, I am not finished watching the DVD yet (it's on pause, but...I do that: watch and simultaneously check out IMDb, part of the fun), I'm utterly enamored of the freshness of this film. So far. But I've already had more laughs than I've had a long time (watching a slew of flicks where great actors were hired to do dreck with no apparent motivation).

I'm also a high school dropout, a college dropout (which means I've taken various tests of achievement and intelligence, the GED, the SATs and various other limiting, mind control efforts); fortunately I am now several decades old, and well beyond the reach of the academia nuts who currently crank our future fellow citizens out like Twinkies; i.e., old enough to have seen their results.

Hence, I get the premise, and I love these characters. I find this film vastly more entertaining than any Ocean's XX movie made after the Rat Pack got it right the first time. This is more fun than Hackers (and since I also spent years at IBM, yes, I loved that one, too; but I'm giving this a ten for the acting, the story, and the fresh handling of the genre).

If it disappoints in the end, I may come back and rate it again, but for now I'm laughing my ass off. Great commentary on our educational "bubble" system, great fun with each of the characters. (Especially Roy, I eagerly await his next scene. Though all these kids are good, and the dialog is exceptional.)

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Okay, this previous post hasn't been posted yet, so now I can conclude: great stuff. I repeat, for the genre. Some of the best out there. And we'll see some of these kids later. But really, a great movie. Not necessarily a keeper, a watch again, for sure. Still a 10 for it's intended scope, and I'm still a critical bastard. Loved it.