This was one movie I watched all throughout my high school years, again & again.As surprising as it sounds, this film allowed me to dream of a school which was so different from the one I attended.I loved the idea of having no uniforms, going on dates, non-CBSE textbooks, attending proms & not being judged when one picks Commerce over Science or when students concentrate on their Art classes comapred to the rest of the subjects.This was my kinda high school-one never required to be brilliant in academics or excel at sports or even join the debate team to be seen, heard & respected by their peers.Here, you are special for being unique, it’s YOU who matters.Although, one must remember, this is a typical high school film, so the students here are otherwise classified into species of geeks, jocks, goth, punks, rebels, hippies, artists, goody-two-shoes & cheerleaders!
Dr.Walter(Larry Miller) is a gynaecologist & a father who’s tremondously worried about his two daughters-younger Bianca Stratford(Larisa Oleynik) & elder sister Kat(Julia Siles).The girls have got into their own cliques at Padua High School.Kat is a feminist who’s strong views are regarded as ’lame’ by the teen community in general, while Bianca is a shallow girly-girl who’s attitude isn’t as bad as everyone considers it to be.The sisters are embarrassed to be related to each other due to their different idealogical views.Their ’dad’ has made a house rule:Bianca cannot date unless Kat does.Frustrated with her older sibling for ruining her life, Bianca is desperate to attend parties & achieve high school celebrity status by dating ’Mr.Popular’, Joey Donner(Andrew Keegan) who’s also a model.Cameron James(Joseph Gordon Levitt) is a confirmed ’loser’ as per high school terminology & is smitten by pretty Bianca.He befriends her under the pretext of teaching her French & shyly asks her out.When she informs him her father’s strict rules, his ’best bud’ & ’geek’ Michael Eckman(David Krumholtz) come up with a plan to make some guy get attached to Kat.Easier said than done, since boys are terrified of her.Michael spots ’rebel’ Patrick Verona(Heath Ledger) & offers him money in return to date Kat.Patrick is also approached by Joey & is again given more money.Patrick decides to play his own game & tags behind Kat, except she’s definitely not interested in him.The matter gets jumbled up when Cameron realises Bianca went along with Michael & Cameron’s idea only to get Kat out of the way & date Joey freely.At the same time, Bianca’s tired of Joey’s constant babbling about himself & gets to know that there’s nothing to him beyond his good looks.
This is your average storyline, but with a great cast to put it forward on screen.Gil Junger, the director has done an excellent job in making a classy high-school movie which turned into a 90’s phenomenon.The cast is fun & relatable, inspite of Heath Ledger & Julia Stiles stealing the show.In terms of music, "I want you to want me" performed by ’Letters to Cleo’ is still popular & is even reprised in the ABC sitcom of ’10 Things I Hate About You’.
Final grade- A+, if I had to choose the best teenage movie ever this would be it.A must watch especially to relive your memories of Heath Ledger.