`DRIVE ME CRAZY' MUCH TOO PREDICTABLE.Byline: Valerie Kuklenski Staff Writer The most important thing to know about ``Drive Me Crazy'' before buying a ticket is that the title has absolutely nothing to do with the story. In fact, it's borrowed from a soundtrack cut, Britney Spears' ``(You Drive Me) Crazy.'' That's a sure sign that the filmmakers are paying too much attention to music and not enough to the script - and that the CD probably will do better than the movie. The title ``Drive Me Crazy'' suggests passion, desire, torment, frenzy - anything but the predictable scenario and rather flat characters drawn by director John Schultz John Schultz (born September 28, 1938) is a former Australian rules football player, who played for the Footscray Football Club in the (then) Victorian Football League (VFL) and is one of the club's greatest players. and screenwriter Rob Thomas Rob Thomas might refer to:
Melissa Joan Hart Melissa Joan Hart (born April 18 1976) is an American actress who is best known for playing the title roles in two successful television series, Clarissa Explains It All and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. (TV's ``Sabrina, the Teenage Witch'') plays Nicole Maris, a perky perk·y adj. perk·i·er, perk·i·est 1. Having a buoyant or self-confident air; briskly cheerful. 2. Jaunty; sprightly. perk 17-year-old completely wrapped up in the school social scene and her romantic pursuit of a certain basketball jock (Gabriel Carpenter). Adrian Grenier Adrian Grenier (born July 10, 1976) is an American actor, musician and director. Grenier is best known for his lead role on the HBO original series, Entourage, as Vincent Chase. (``The Adventures of Sebastian Cole'') is Chase Hammond, Nicole's neighbor and childhood friend who's a social dropout (1) On magnetic media, a bit that has lost its strength due to a surface defect or recording malfunction. If the bit is in an audio or video file, it might be detected by the error correction circuitry and either corrected or not, but if not, it is often not noticed by the human by choice. Nicole is consumed with accessorizing, planning the school's big centennial dance and admiring the fair-haired Brad (more accurately, the bleached weave Brad). Meanwhile, Chase is plotting school pranks, shunning the popular crowd and hanging with the pierced, tattooed and politically conscious at an over-amped, underlit nightclub. He's a handsome guy, but he hides it behind all that 'tude. Early in the movie, Nicole believes she has Brad on the hook Adj. 1. on the hook - caught in a difficult or dangerous situation; "there I was back on the hook" dangerous, unsafe - involving or causing danger or risk; liable to hurt or harm; "a dangerous criminal"; "a dangerous bridge"; "unemployment reached dangerous and is ready to reel him in, but he bypasses her for a cheerleader, leaving Nicole publicly embarrassed and - gasp! - dateless date·less adj. 1. Having no date whatsoever. 2. So ancient that no date can be determined. 3. Having no limits in time; timeless. for the dance she's organizing. About the same time, Chase is dumped by his lusty lust·y adj. lust·i·er, lust·i·est 1. Full of vigor or vitality; robust. 2. Powerful; strong: a lusty cry. 3. Lustful. 4. Merry; joyous. , raspberry-haired girlfriend, Dulcie (Ali Larter), over his half-hearted opposition to animal experimentation, one of her favorite causes. Let the games begin. Although they've barely spoken to each other since junior high, Nicole persuades Chase to start dating her to make Brad and Dulcie jealous and win them back. Chase agrees, even allowing Nicole to remake his image a la Gap and drag him along with her crowd so often that he has no time left for his real friends, the uncool Dave and Ray (Mark Webber and Kris Park). That's one big flaw in Thomas' screenplay, or perhaps Todd Strasser's novel, ``How I Created My Perfect Prom Date'' - it's hard to believe Chase would play such games and burn his best buddies in order to win back Dulcie. Along the way there is more manipulation and backstabbing back·stab tr.v. back·stabbed, back·stab·bing, back·stabs To attack (someone) unfairly, especially in an underhand, deceitful manner: than in an episode of ``Melrose Place,'' more drinking than on a Mardi Gras bender, and less meaningful conversation between parents and kids than, one hopes, in most American families. The story culminates at the dance, a formal affair for students and alumni that seems to have the budget of an Olympics opening ceremony. Hart and Grenier do their best to find the reality in their poorly drawn roles. One of Hart's most convincing moments is when Nicole becomes staggering drunk on sloe gin fizzes or some other fruity concoction. It's one of several times this movie depicts drinking among high school students, not as an important element of character or plot, but as a ho-hum part of life like choosing an outfit or deciding whether you want fries with that burger. It may be the writers' attempt to make the characters seem average, possibly more acceptable to the teen audience, but it doesn't work. The only positive side of the drinking issue is that the smashed kids have enough sense to page Chase's friend Designated Dave, who has taken it upon himself to get hearty partiers home safely. THE FACTS The film: ``Drive Me Crazy'' (PG-13; teen alcohol and drug use, language). The stars: Melissa Joan Hart, Adrian Grenier, Susan May Pratt This article is about an actress born in 1974. For Susan Pratt, an actress born in 1949, see Susan Pratt. Susan May Pratt (born February 8, 1974 in Lansing, Michigan) is an American actress. , Mark Webber, Kris Park, Gabriel Carpenter. Behind the scenes: Directed by John Schultz. Screenplay by Rob Thomas. Released by 20th Century Fox. Running time: One hour, 31 minutes. Playing: Citywide. Our rating: One star. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: Adrian Grenier and Melissa Joan Hart need one another's help in ``Drive Me Crazy.'' |
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