Saturday, July 23, 2011

Too darn tame

Disney’s “Prom” is an oddity. On the one hand, its super-safe, ultra-clean story is a break from the racy teen comedy-dramas; on the other hand, it’s so normal that you’re reminded of your own very tame and uneventful prom. So while it’s quite relatable, it’s not terribly exciting and the teen characters’ eye-rolling predicaments barely make us feel genuine concern for them.

Understandably, the upcoming prom is a pretty big deal for them; they’re high schoolers, after all. The overachiever Nova (Aimee Teegarden) finds herself smitten with bad boy Richter (Thomas McDonell), who dislikes the fuss surrounding the event. The other characters are couples and couples-to-be, all racing against the clock to either prepare or look for dates for prom night. A sizeable part of the movie is about their puppy love dramas and going to the party with the “right” person.

It lacks any real escapist element, and it’s devoid of some real-life high school situations—there are no clichéd bullies or mean girls, thankfully, but there’s no mention whatsoever of sex or other “rebellious” behavior. “Prom” is strangely familiar, but it also feels like an overly sanitized alternate reality with no real pressing conflicts.

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