When we think back on being a kid, one thing that we remember clearly are the promises that we made with our best friend. We had big plans in life and many things that we wanted to accomplish. We didn’t have a prom pact, but maybe we should have. Maybe then, prom wouldn’t be a moment in life that we both want to forget.
Bad dates, bad dresses, bad music… there is so much to cringe at. That being said though, it’s fine. It’s fine because prom is a right of passage, especially here in the states. You know what else is a right of passage? Falling in love with a movie because it’s so laugh out loud funny that your stomach hurts.
That’s the way that we feel about Prom Dates.
We know, we know – it’s been a week since it came out. This writer has been ill, there hasn’t been the chance to sit down and write out all of my thoughts on the movie. But being sick have rewatched it four times, because it brings laughter.
There is always a need for laughter.
And hey, this movie definitely brings the viewer nothing but just that – joy. Prom Dates is very niche but niche isn’t a bad thing. It carves a formidable playing piece in checkerboard of the game of young adult movies, taking big swings in comedic sequences, but somehow it works. It’s a movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously and we’er reminded that we shouldn’t take it too seriously either.
We should just have a good time.
Prom Dates seemed to want to play off of the publicity that comes from pulling actors from several fandoms and thinking that it will influence who watches the movie. If we’re being honest – it does. But gone are the days of The CW and we don’t always want the same person in the genre. The reason we bring this up is because we don’t want everyone to cast that way. It’s a hit or a miss and it doesn’t always work.
However when it comes to Prom Dates, it does. The issue – for me – wasn’t the movie. It was in the marketing of the movie. It felt as through there was none. When you have Antonia Gentry (Ginny & Georgia), Jordan Buhat (Grown-ish), Julia Lester (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series), Kenny Ridwan (The Goldbergs), Terry Hu (Never Have I Ever), Zión Moreno (Gossip Girl) and Emery Kelly (Alexa & Kate). There is even Saved by the Bell reboots John Michael Higgins as the principal. It’s like a who’s who of actors of the time.
Not to mention that Prom Dates has a great script. It’s one that feels fun and relatable. It is a script that you can see the potential of some of the situations in the movie actually happening.
Jess and Hannah are polar opposites, but they are best friends. They made a pact a long time ago, that they were going to have the best prom (basically). However, it seems to be more something that Jess wants versus what Hannah wants. Both are in the midst of figuring out who they are.
And the night before prom, everything goes haywire. Jess finds her boyfriend cheating (she’s ignored all of his red flags, and there are a lot). Hannah finds that her boyfriend has changed colleges to be near her. Everything is overwhelming to the two of them, but the two are going to keep the pact at all costs.
A night that is absolutely crazy for a high school senior ensues. The two are on a journey of growth, self discovery, and figuring out their priorities in life. It’s not something easy for anyone to go through at any age, but here these two are – coming to terms with their secrets and their lies.
Yes, there are a lot of lies that ensue, but they are teenagers. It’s lies to others, to each other, but mostly to themselves. It’s the right of passage of a huge fight between the two that changes everything that they are. The fight enables them to come to terms with the things that they should have been honest about in the first place.
We’re going to be honest – we don’t take movies like this so seriously. We see them for what they are – a good escape. Hannah and Jess aren’t perfect characters. As a matter of fact, they are flawed. All of the characters are. Yet, that’s part of what makes movies like this perfect to watch. We’re all flawed and seeing that come across makes people feel less alone.
We also get the chance to see some deep moments about honesty and communication. We all keep our secrets and we all have our moments where we need to comes to terms with who we are and who we allow people to think we are. It’s moments of big swings in this movie – comedy mixed with realism.
But it’s also that Jess and Hannah end up putting themselves first, which is a hard thing to do at any age. It’s a testament to young girls out there (hell, women at any age really) that they don’t need anyone else to define them. They define themselves.
Prom Dates is a good time. It’s hilarious and caters to all sorts of senses of humor. Take it for what it is, a comedy, and you will have a good time.
