Sometimes first impressions are tainted by circumstance. Upon first viewing, this film felt so Ephron-centric, so Wonderful Life-remake, so Lord of the Rings-mocking, so dunce-cap enducing, so Ashton-Demi, and so role-generalizing that I could barely stomach it. All I could think was that I was a teacher and that “15’ll get cha 20.” (Years-old to years in prison).
I wondered if another perspective in a different theater with a different audience could redeem it – or at least give me new eyes…it was also the only one at the cheaps that I felt I could go see at the time…so I went. Sure enough; the row of 12-14 somethings behind me who googly-goggled at Zach Ephron’s every phrase released me of my initial trepidations, and I watched with learned gaze as Ephron actually delivered a decent, even inspiring performance getting some of Matthew Perry’s mannerisms down pat.
Today I saw it again with my roommates who wanted to rent it. I hesitated but decided to try one more time. To my delight, I realized that the messages presented are lovely – promoting abstinence until marriage, supporting the idea that “girls should respect themselves enough to expect men to treat them with respect, and raising the level of importance, endurance, courage, selflessness, and love involved in preserving and stabilizing a quality marriage and family. Zach’s character pursued his wife, unlike my first impressions presumed. My hope would be that students would see and remember these valuable lessons rather than Zach’s perfect body and Ned’s nerd-seduces-princess success.
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