Wow! I’ve finally found a movie, targeted at teenage
girls, that isn’t just about having fun and all that dorky
hoopla. How to Deal isn’t inspired, but it’s a step in
the right direction, for films of its kind. Even though the
script is somewhat conventional, and the film has noticeable
technical flaws here and there, it still hits a pretty
powerful message home. How to Deal is a lot more real
than most would expect, and even though it’s advertised as a
teeny-bopper movie, it offers a lot more than that. It’s not
great, by any means, but it is a refreshing alternative to the
big-budget, testosterone-driven, action-flicks consuming the
majority of multiplex screens today.
Halley Martin (Mandy Moore) has
given up on believing in true love, after witnessing multiple
cases of bad relationships. Her best friend, Scarlett Smith
(Alexandra Holden), is already having sex with, and obsessing
over, the high school soccer hunk. Brainwashed by everything
he does and says, Scarlett is losing grip on her own life.
Halley’s mother (Allison Janney) and father (Peter Gallagher)
have just had a terrible divorce, and this has affected her
relationships with the both of them immensely. While she is
still friendly with her mom, she can never relate to her. She
abhors her dad, though. He is a popular radio DJ, about to
remarry to a young, air-headed bimbo. She has lost all hope in
the man. Her sister, Ashley (Mary Catherine Garrison), is also
about to marry the wrong person, and she often knows this, but
ignores such because of her disparity to find love. Halley
would like to help her sister, but she resists. Just when
Halley has completely given up on love, after witnessing all
of these cases of it going wrong, she falls for a guy named
Macon (Trent Ford). Macon relieves Halley of the chaotic world
that has built itself around her.
Yes, I know, I know, it sounds
stupid and corny. Just like all of the rest of the stuff that
gets to teenage girls, right? I couldn’t find a worse example
of such. How to Deal is much more than that. You have
to witness it, to understand why the experience it offers is
so enriching. This is a unique opportunity for moviegoers of
all sorts. It’s a study on love that will suit the
expectations of every single person to view it. I admired it
for the methods it used in instituting originality into a dead
genre, as will many other serious filmgoers (and most males).
Women and girls will like it for the romance and cute moments
in the story. Whatever the reason for a person’s liking of
How To Deal, is irrelevant, though, in the scheme of
things. All that matters is that those who wouldn’t normally
take a chance, seeing this type of movie, go to this one. It’s
definitely worth the ten dollars it will cost you for
admission.
Moore is excellent in this movie. I
had my doubts about her acting abilities in A Walk to
Remember, but she is able to prove her worthiness as an
actress in How to Deal. She, really, holds the entire
picture together, and is extremely convincing as the lead
character, Halley. Moore has stated, on many occasions, that
she chose this role because she was the exact opposite of her
character. She is so surprisingly great in the film, however,
we would think that she’d be able to identify with Halley much
more than she says she does. If she continues acting, I think
Moore will grow a lot, and her choice in roles will improve.
She, really, does have the potential to be Oscar-caliber
someday.
I’m making How To Deal seem
like a better movie than it really is, but I can’t emphasize
the fact that it is daringly original, for a film of targeted
at such an audience. Moore, and the entire cast, are
tremendous, and should be commended for their efforts. Though
conventional, the writing and plot are innovative and
respectable, and I think that everyone will be able to relate
to at least one of the characters in them, in some way. In a
grim year for film, dominated by crazy action movies, How
to Deal is a breath of fresh air.
-Danny, Bucket
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