This was such a weird movie I’ve waited two weeks to write the review and still haven’t found the angle. Not that it’s urgent: it’s from 2007, so you’re not exactly waiting on the edge of your seat to hear my proclamation. You’ve maybe even already seen it, but then again, probably not. It didn’t exactly make a big splash in the land of movies.
Here’s an interesting thing: it’s a film by Amy Heckerling, the woman who wrote and directed Clueless. This movie is about a woman, Rosie (Michelle Pfeiffer), who writes a 
TV show that looks and sounds a lot like Clueless. It’s about the very coolest of high school students, and stars adults who don’t quite pull off their roles. Among them – Stacey Dash, a crazy lady who was 28 when she played Dionne in Clueless and 40 when she reprised the role of too cool for school adolescent in this film. Paul Rudd, only a couple of years younger, turns up in this one too, playing a teenager on set and the role of younger suitor to Rosie, who is mortified. And, of course, flattered, and maybe interested.
Not that Rosie has a lot of spare time to consider younger lovers. She’s trying hard to save her show, and to co-parent with her youth-obsessed ex-husband (Jon Lovitz), and to parent her wise-beyond-her-years actual teenage daughter Izzie (Saoirse Ronan in her film debut – yeah, this kid was always going to be a star).
Anyway, there’s three paragraphs to distract from the fact that I still can’t quite make a pronouncement. The truth is, there’s some juicy satire here. It has lots to say about a woman’s insecurities, and generational differences in falling love, and the impossible standards of show business. But for every great little quirk (many provided by Ronan – her character parodies songs sort of a la Weird Al, but with a feminist twist, likely years beyond her grasp) there’s a lot of rom-com cliches to wade through. But there’s the added bonus of Tracey Ullman as a personified Mother Nature, guiding us through the dark forest of female self-esteem. Heckerling clearly has a lot to say and I bet this film was quite personal to her, but she spirals out of control a few times. In the end, if you’re a sucker for Paul Rudd (and let’s be honest: who isn’t?) or if you’re curious how a little girl with a strong Irish lilt fares blasting out the angry lyrics of a certain Canadian songstress, go ahead and look this one up.
ASSHOLES WATCHING MOVIES 
You seemed locked in a phone box on this one….should I like it or should I pass? Since I didn’t see you mention Eric Roberts in here,I might gamble and pick this up if I see it.
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I Saw this a few years ago. I am glad it just wasn’t me. I really wanted to like this movie; but, I could not get into it. You described it perfectly. Thank you!
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Stacy Dash…. ugh. I won’t patronize any film if she’s in it.
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Yeah, she’s kind of an awful human being.
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I remember seeing this one years ago – I might even have it on DVD somewhere (remember those?). I still can’t work out if I liked it. I know I didn’t hate it but it was exactly as weird as you describe.
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Yeah, I put all my DVDs in the garage and rarely go hunting for one…sad.
It’s a tough one to really describe, you want to like it, and there’s stuff to like, but there’s also stuff to hate.
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Paul Rudd? Did somebody say Paul Rudd? I’m there.
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Sounds odd, probably best to have seen Clueless too, which I haven’t, so will skipdedoo right on.
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Not a ringing endorsement. I will probably pass. Just curious, how do you select these which older films you review?
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Usually it’s whatever’s trending on Netflix.
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Understood
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I reckon I’ll add this to the watchlist and keep an eye out for it cropping up on Netflix or when I’m out and about.
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I liked this movie. It was cute. I wouldn’t recommend it highly. It was diverting. It’s the equivalent of popcorn, I think. Not very filling. Something to snack on when you want something, but you’re not really hungry.
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It’s been years since I’ve seen that film as I thought it was pretty good. I loved the moment where Paul Rudd is trying to plea to Michelle Pfeiffer about something he didn’t do and Jon Lovitz being supportive where Lovitz says he’s the Bruce Willis in the relationship and Rudd is Ashton and Pfeiffer becomes livid.
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I know, that’s already such a dated reference you gotta love it.
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Believe it or not, it’s one of my fave Pfeiffer movies. There’s an absurdist humour that gives it an edgy sensibility as well as Paul Rudd as good as ever. It made me laugh and its attempts to pull at the heartstrings didn’t feel too contrived to me.
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