HE'S ALL THAT (2021)

There didn't seem to be any hope for HE'S ALL THAT. I'm not saying that because it's a remake; I'm saying that because SHE'S ALL THAT was already a modernized reinterpretation of PYGMALION/MY FAIR LADY. And you can't even claim that the gender reversal means it's a unique spin, because THE MAKEOVER already did that in 2013. That being said, I was taken by surprise. Yes, some lines are repeated, the same theme song is played and certain cast members are brought back to play different roles. All of this would prevent any remake from feeling like its own thing. That being said, those elements only represent a portion of the movie. For the most part, it sticks to following the general story beats without copying and pasting every details. Therefore, I don't dislike it for being a pointless rehash of a specific story (as I thought I would), but rather for being a generic teen rom-com. The arc of Padgett Sawyer (the protagonist) isn't just the bet that she can transform Cameron Kweller from a loser to prom king (and accidentally fall in love with him), but also learning that her lifestyle as a social media influencer is artificial. What's odd is that, during the scene where she does a livestream as who she really is, the visual presentation remains the same. The viewer is supposed to be moved by how she's learned to share her true feelings... while reading the chat? Also, isn't it a bit hypocritical to cast a real social media influencer to play this character? Speaking of, it's evident that Addison Rae had little to no acting experience. However, she has a lot of charisma and there are times where her line delivery isn't 100% unconvincing, so it's possible she could become a good actress in the future. Besides, Peyton Meyer and Kourtney Kardashian's performances are much worse. The first time Padgett and Cameron have some alone time is at the stable her works at. Padgett's arm lands on horse shit by accident. In any other movie of this kind, the popular and fancy girl would have a tantrum and she wouldn't become more flexible about her image until a much later scene, but here, Padgett playfully gets Cameron dirty too and then they both laugh together. Thank you movie for making an effort at giving dimensions to your characters. When Cameron is invited to a party, he goes with his best friend Nisha. He's reluctant about staying, but she says they should at the very least for the free pizza. What kind of pizza? Pizza Hut. I know this because she says it... as any human being would in that context. Geez, it's almost as if the movie is forcefully trying to advertise something. When Cameron is given a new look, Brin says "If I didn't know any better and if you weren't my brother, I'd say you look hot." What... the.. actual... fuck?! At the beginning, Padgett catches her boyfriend Jordan Van Draanen cheating on her and she loses her shit, forgetting that this is all being livestreamed. I assume they're all 18. Otherwise, this would essentially be an underage porn video becoming viral and without anyone addressing the issue. Anyway, after this debacle, the other students still think Jordan is cool and Padgett loses followers. Is this meant to be social commentary on society's double standards when it comes to infidelity? And when it comes to the "heartbroken woman = crazy" stereotype? Nah, I shouldn't give the movie more credit than it deserves. Besides, if that was the case, people's treatment towards Padgett would go beyond making fun of her snot bubble.
3/10
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