Can't Hardly Wait is one of those teen aimed films. Bits of it are funny, but overall it becomes too sentimental, and on a cynical reading of it, produces its fare share of stereotypes and ends with far too much closure for even its target audience to stomach. However, if you love Jennifer Love Hewitt, you get to see her for not as much as you would think in this film. Beware, she hardly smiles in this film, but who cares (btw. does she smile that much in IKWYDLS)?

In this film, you have a bloke called Preston, who is a normal-nerdy type. He's in love with the homecoming queen (played by Jennifer), Amanda. It's graduation day and we learn that Amanda has been dumped by resident hero Mike (I think). So, Preston sees this as his chance to get Amanda. The chicks around me in the cinema were "oohing and aahhing" at his pitiful comments. Why doesn't that work with me? Of course, we also follow around the genius nerd who gets drunk, and gets all these women chasing after him cause he's "so cuuute". Sometimes I wish these films were based on some sort of reality. Anyway, Can't Hardly Wait is a geeks ultimate fantasy, because all the 'losers' are in reality, the most likely to 'score', whereas all the 'geeks' and no-hopers, seem to get all the action. Hardly Wait continues the tradition of geek fantasy that has overcome cinema since Wayne's World. There's Something About Mary and now Can't Hardly Wait are two films that prove this. I think it's a way for these script writers to re-write their own histories. Can't Hardly Wait tries to go beyond the typical stereoptypes (nerd, legend, babe, if not a babe could be a lesbian) but doesn't really, it tries to get deep and meaningful, and doesnt's really. Full marks for trying to be original with the narrative, and some camera work is good; but on the whole it is a standard but likeable film. Not special enough to warrant a cinematic viewing.

60/100