Review of The To Do List (2013) by Marcellus E — 16 Oct 2013

Swanner: The To Do List is a story a girl who has just graduated from high school and thinks she needs to become complete versed in sex before entering college. Brandy (Aubrey Plaza) who was the valedictorian of her class and a virgin decides to make up a list of as many sexual terms and explore them in 1 hour and 43 minutes. Maggie Carey makes her directorial debut with this R rated comedy that feels more like lame Disney Channel production.

Judd: I'm not a fan of Aubrey Plaza. I think she's a bit one-note, the female Michael Cera, but I was looking forward to The To Do List. The cast is a bunch of 30-something comedians, playing high school students - that's funny. Bill Hader, Johnny Simmons, Alia Shawkat, Rachel Bilson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Andy Samberg, Donald Glover, Adam Pally. I expected a lot of snarky meta-humor with tons of raunchy sex jokes. There was plenty of raunch, but the script and direction didn't feel committed to it and the potential meta-humor was even broached.

Swanner: It felt like I was watching a film like the Diary of a Wimpy Kid but they wanted to make it dirty so they say a lot of dirty words and acts but no one ever is naked. No boobs or wieners in this R rated comedy?? WTF? We're they just trying to make us blush? Why would this really smart girl even be motivated to do this? I really don't think she'd go after the cool Lifeguard (Scott Porter) guitar player. I understand the movie took place in 1993 but these people feel more like the 70's. The early 70's.

Judd: Wieners? Are you 12? I liked the idea that the smart, motivated girl was trying to accomplish as many different positions before college. The most refreshing aspect was that she was doing all this for her own pleasure and knowledge. The unrequited love angle wasn't hers, and I liked seeing a chick not acting like a "chick". I also really liked the fact that they made the sex scenes as awkward as they are in real life for kids that age. I was reminded of everything I didn't miss in High School. However, I do feel that if she found it so easy to get laid, why did she wait this long?

Swanner: You're putting too much thought into this. I can't believe this isn't direct to video. The young sexually experimental storyline doesn't work when everyone is obviously too old to be playing teenagers. The cast of Grease felt more real (not really). This whole thing just missed its mark. It's trying to be Superbad but in reality it's just super bad...

Judd: I think you're not giving credit where credit is due. The obviously too old actors was part of the joke - unfortunately, that joke wasn't very well executed. The problem is that the whole movie wasn't very well executed, which is a shame. Good characters, funny concept, funny-ish script. The failing here belongs screenwriter/director Maggie Carey. I think if someone else directed the results would have been much different. I do want to note that Dazed and Confused came out in '93 and took place in '76. Now that I'm the one who's having a movie made about my teenage years, it doesn't seem like such a huge span of time. And by god, did we have some ugly clothes.

Swanner: *.

Judd: **.