Review of I Love You, Beth Cooper (2009) by Patrick L — 03 Sep 2012

Ben Mankiewicz, Ben Lyons, Joe Neumaler and Mark Olsen are all tired out, retread movie reviewers, based on their reviews of this movie alone. I'm not a teenager, I'm not simply a fan of Hayden Panettierre and her acting but I am also one who likes good, original, exciting, lovely, dramatic films.

This isn't a typical teen film, aside from the "nerd focus", and it is all the better for having a beautiful, smart as anyone, Hayden playing the "stuck-up" (but not once you really get to know her) cheer-leader.

The nerd's (Denis) parents are a bit on the strange side but not much more than Beth's never seen(?) parents who named her after a "Kiss" song (which I appreciated more after seeing this film and hearing the song intertwined with it).

The plot is as good, essentially, as "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" and involves a teen nerd taking the chance to declare his love for Beth (whom he really doesn't know) and then tell others to be more open, more honest, declaring things that targets and embarrasses other people without naming them).

I'm not sure I was a "nerd" but I can identify with Denis' inability to talk to Beth and that he fell afoul of people who would tease or beat him up (such things happened to me in high school etc.). This film is still very watchable even after seeing it two or more times. 10/10.