This was a sweet, romantic movie with some good messages. I'd guess that almost everyone could identify with someone in this movie. A large number of us were bullied in some way when we were younger, though at the time, we probably felt like we were the only ones. Also, some of us were the bullies, intentionally or unintentionally, and may feel the same regret that former BMOC Shane did in this movie.
The actors in this movie did a decent job, particularly Italia Ricci as former (and somewhat continuing) nerd, Jenny. She plays the vulnerable, self-effacing smart girl to perfection. I kind of wish the character had been written such that she had more confidence as an adult. Nathan Parsons as the repentant school teacher was fine too, though I feel a lot of other actors could have done as well or better.
I liked how this movie emphasized that those who are bullied can't just run away, as there will always be mean people out there, but that they need to learn to stand up for themselves. I also liked how they showed that the mean girls, particularly Allison, Jenny's high-school bully, are really insecure themselves, and that they show it in a different way. This movie was in serious danger of making Allison a cartoon villain, and I'm glad they showed her more vulnerable side and helped us understand why she was so mean. I also liked how Jenny was able to take the younger bullied girl Frankie under her wing and help her to believe in herself.
This was not a perfect movie, sadly. One thing I didn't like was that the romance between Shane and Jenny basically required both of them to quasi-cheat on their significant others. Never mind that Jenny's boyfriend Owen was a dweeb and that Shane's girlfriend Allison was a witch. It just comes across as cringy. I also found it weird that Shane was offering to make up for his past bullying of Jenny by asking her to the prom (though in an adult capacity as a chaperone). It was like, "I'll make up for being a jerk to you in high school by asking you to go to the prom with ME! Lucky you! Only it's not really a date. And, by the way, I have a girlfriend". I wish the romance between Shane and Jenny were developed more, also. It felt a little flat, and there could have been more chemistry.
If I were writing the screenplay, here's how I would have done it. In my version, Jenny would pretend that she didn't remember Shane, and Shane would realize after meeting her that she was the one he and Allison bullied in high school, but he would be too ashamed to admit that he remembered her and his past misdeeds. Meanwhile, he would volunteer to do nice things to help her. They would get to know each other casually, without any intentional cheating going on, and they would realize that they actually liked each other. Then he would invite her to be a chaperone for the prom, not as some way to make up for his past transgressions, but just because she was needed (though, in his mind, it would be because he really wanted her to be there). Then, they would have the final scene at the dance together, where they would each admit that they did remember each other from high school, but they would realize that it was all ancient history. Then, they would kiss as adults who now realized they had feelings for each other. Maybe the producers of this movie could hire me as a script consultant next time, ha ha.
Anyway, minus a couple of cringe elements, I liked this movie a lot and appreciated its messages to the bullied, the formerly bullied, the bulliers, and the former bulliers. Definitely worth checking out.
