I’ve watched the trailer for He’s All That like 5 times, and I still don’t know if I like what I’m seeing considering how cheesy She’s All That truly was. It’s nice to see Rachael Leigh Cook returning to our screens, even though she’s not playing Laney Boggs like I hoped she would. Instead, she’s playing Anna Sawyer, a seemingly single mom to Padgett, played by Addison Rae.
Like in She’s All That, Padgett has to transform a “loser” into the hottest guy at her high school. This comes after an on-camera breakup with Padgett going viral. So, as a means of rescuing her reputation, she takes on a bet to make the antisocial and scruffy Cameron into the prom king. But wait, she finds herself falling for him! How unexpected and definitely-not-cheesy of you, Netflix! And even after processing all this information, I have no idea how I feel about this movie.
Do I hate it? Because it’s kind of messed up that the young woman who was cheated on has to be the one to take on the burden of the breakup. Thanks, patriarchy and sexism! Also, the scruffy and antisocial Cameron, played by Tanner Buchanan, legit just got a haircut and shaved the absolutely fake-looking hair on his face. That’s it. And oh, he has chiseled abs because of course he’s hiding a rocking body under those clothes, and Padgett captures it, further falling in love/like with him. If you really think about it, all that Laney got was a haircut, contacts, and new clothes before Zack Siler fell in love/like with her in She’s All That. So, I’ll allow it.
Another part of me wonders if I actually like this movie and am looking forward to it? I know what to expect and what I’m getting. It’s a cheesy movie with a shaky premise that has been done over and over. Plus, this Rae actor/TikToker actually isn’t doing bad in the trailer. I mean, her acting is way better than Lifetime or Hallmark acting. So that’s something to think about when contemplating if I want to watch this surefire and predictable hot mess.
Ultimately, it comes down to whether I want to put reason and logic away for an hour and some change to experience something lighthearted yet vapid. It wouldn’t be the first time for me, since I’ve watched so many cheesy movies, from Never Been Kissed to Drive Me Crazy. And honestly, it won’t be the last time. So, fine. I’ll watch this hot mess and see how it goes. If anything, I’ll do it for science and for all the throwback feels! Will you?
(image: Netflix)
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