Review of Hating Alison Ashley (2005) by Johnny T — 09 May 2011

For the first twenty minutes or so Hating Alison Ashley feels fresh, breezy, fun and funny, before the tempo dawdles as the onus is placed on the two girls and their fickle friendship. During this introduction their are a number of good chuckles and the rest of the film's humour is spread liberally through the running time. Craig McLachlan hams it up as a bumbling PE teacher and Jean Kittson is appropriately bitchy as a snotty bull terrier teacher intent on exercising discipline. The reality of the film sporadically shifts into swift bursts of fantasy, which helps to liven things up a bit. Major drawback is helmer Geoff Bennett's straightforward visual approach. Tale cries out for more pictorial pizzazz, and Steve Newman's cautious camerawork too often drains the energy generated by the spunky protagonist. Cezary Skubiszewski's bouncy score and a clutch of catchy pop tunes enhance pic's youth appeal.

VERDICT: "Rental" - (Mixed to Negative reaction). These films are only worth renting because of certain good things that are worth seeing, but are not worth paying at a theatre to see due to bad things that overcome anything good.