PROM

Disney Hopes You Do
By Cole Smithey

What starts out as an all-too-formulaic teen romantic comedy settles into a acceptably recipe-driven think piece on the significance of that milestone social gathering known as “the prom.” Seemingly every boy at Brookside High School has the same idea about how to ask his intended date to the upcoming “Starry Night Prom.” They spell out “PROM?” in giant letters in a public place and wait patiently for the object of their heart’s desire to notice it and answer (in the affirmative, natch).

It doesn’t hurt that modern-day youthful versions of John Cusack, Johnny Depp and Ralph Macchio are in attendance. Nolan Sotillo favors Macchio’s “Karate Kid” days as Lucas, an all-American boy on the verge of playing varsity football. Lucas has it bad for his romantic classmate Simone (Danielle Campbell).

Sadly for Lucas, Simone still has feelings for varsity quarterback Tyler (DeVaughn Nixon). Thomas McDonell falls into the Johnny Depp look-alike camp as brooding bad boy Jesse. It’s not much of a surprise when fate brings cynical loner Jesse into a school mandated assignment to help prom-planner Nova Prescott (Aimee Teegarden) rebuild a prom set destroyed by fire. Shock: embers of desire ignite. Finally, Nicholas Braun fills the John Cusack spot (during Cusack’s “Say Anything” period) as Lloyd Taylor, a good-looking, well-mannered kid who can’t get a date. 

“If I’m about to kiss you, you’ll know it.” Jesse’s cool response to Nova during an almost intimate moment is the kind of cocksure line teen males secret away for use at the right occasion. Maybe the moment will someday come, perhaps it won’t. The hope for the romantic certitude it implies will be around for a long time. Love’s bloom is a flower that inspires admiration regardless of whether the witness is an active participant or merely an onlooker.

Director Joe Nussbaum (“Sleepover”) makes the most of his Jenny and Johnny-come-lately cast of fresh faced young actors. The camera loves the pretty and handsome actors who are never asked to do much more than be themselves from newbie screenwriter Katie Wech’s script.

Young horror movie aficionados may find their minds wandering to Brian DePalma’s “Carrie” during the coronation of the prom king and queen when a similar camera angle reveals the onstage action from above and behind. A neatly designed plot twist follows even if the humiliation that occurs is far less violent than such a horror movie would present.

Every predictable plot point is underlined twice with sincere emotion. Did I mention this isn’t novel or original? It doesn’t matter. Teen movies like “Prom” are made to let kids know they’re not alone in the whirlwind of events and moods they are going through. To that end, “Prom” plays every heartstring like a well-worn melody—a tune that is, after all, classic for a reason.

Rated PG. 103 mins.