At some point in the beginning of Prom pactBen (Milo Manheim) wonders if he's wasting precious time judging others' high school experience while standing on the sidelines. That's a pretty strong statement and even daunting to realize, instantly setting the original Disney+ comedy apart from several others. It may not seem like it, but the movie has a tough job: encouraging kids to have as much fun as possible in high school while acknowledging that it can be a harrowing experience for many people. Happy, Prom pact does this gracefully.
Back in the 80's, John Hughes movies and other teen comedies changed the game by showing the high school experience through the eyes of the outcasts. It highlighted how they were pushed into a corner so jocks and cheerleaders could have the time of their lives. In Prom pactMandy (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) and Ben even came up with the nickname "Everests" to suggest that you should just leave those people alone because they are at their peak in life. However, cinema stuck with the outcast figure for the next 20+ years, and it's great to see more movies where there's less of a divide between them and the popular kids.
In Prom Pact, those who are not popular are hardly losers or pariahs. They're just normal kids who are also pretty cool depending on how you look at them. While Mandy and Ben have their issues with the popular kids in the story, they have no vendetta against them. In fact, they are just as capable of being mean. When Mandy gets on the waiting list for Harvard, she realizes she can approach a senator's kid to get the politician to write her a letter of recommendation and make her college dreams come true.
For people who grew up watching 80s and 90s comedies, that aspect of Prom pact is the best. The film inverts the genre's tropes by making the protagonist a bit mean and the jock a victim of sorts. At the same time, Anthony Lombardo's script always fails to establish Mandy as a girl with the heart in the right place, which helps us root for her throughout most of the story. Every interaction she has in the movie is a joy to watch, and we just want to spend time with her.
Another great thing about modern high school comedies is that teachers and counselors are no longer passive figures who don't really contribute to the story. In Prom pact, Margaret Cho knows how to stand out as Mrs. Chen, a woman who does not get in the way of the main character but also gives good advice to the girl. Cho and Lee together in a scene are a riot, and you can't get enough of it.
Prom pact is also committed to delivering good comedy. Director Anya Adams doesn't rely on facile and exaggerated tropes, but delivers jokes even when you're not looking. There's an entire subplot of a teenage couple fighting alone in the background, and the "promvites" are perfectly dosed so they don't interfere with the main story, serve as 80s references, and make for some funny moments, all at once. the same time.
Finally, Prom pact's greatest merit is that friendship is the core of the story. Not only does the film make it clear that the two protagonists are best friends and nothing else - the type of male-female relationship we sorely miss in cinema - but it also holds characters accountable and punishes them when they are worthless friends. That's why it comes across as a bit odd that the movie establishes that Mandy and Ben have two other best friends, but ignore their existence for most of the story.
After all that, it's surprising that Prom pact finds time to comment on taxing super-rich white privilege and even saving the bees. Not that it gets into these themes too much, but touching on them is yet another indication that Gen Z stories have no intention of ignoring the world happening around them. As far as high school comedies go, this is a home run.
finally, Prom pact is about not letting time pass you by. This doesn't mean you can't be mad at what's wrong with society and do what you can to try to change it, but you do need to find your people and allow yourself to have the best time possible - especially during your teenage years before the world really tries to wear you down in adult life.
Prom pact is the perfect movie choice to watch when you're in the mood for something lighthearted and fun. It has an excellent cast, the jokes come easy and never feel forced, and the story is a true celebration of friendship and how you should always try your best not to let your people down - and work hard to apologize. offer if you do. John Hughes would be proud.
Judgement: B+
Prom pact is now available on Disney+.
Comments
Post a Comment