05/27/06 The Perfect Score

The Perfect Score (2004), directed by Brian Robbins

watched w/ Leslie; DVD (borrowed from Sarah) @ home

Many of us can agree and relate to the fact that standardized testing in academics today is somewhat unfair. Unfair in that it doesn't truly represent the breadth of knowledge that one possesses, merely to suggests the effort that one puts forth to retain facts that are pounded into your head in school in order to spit out under the pressure of a time limit and the shame of failing to make it into some form of higher education to better yourself that causes many to crack and mess up a simple SAT score. Well, the beautiful teenagers from this flick decide that they will inevitably "stick it to the man" by plotting to steal the answers to the fabled test, so they all can pass with a (cough) "Perfect Score." The team of misfits is a mix of the make-up of the student body, including the goody-two-shoes salutatorian, hard-working under-achiever pretty boy, star basketball player, stoner computer geek, average joe with dreams of college life, and rebellious millionaire's daughter. By using the millionaire's daughter as their "in" to the facilities where the tests are created, they go "Mission: Impossible" on the prowl for some genius plans to make the (ahem) "Perfect Score." We're supposed to believe that six teenagers have the ability and gall to pull off such a heist, but what else should I have expected from the director who brought us such teenage empowerment as "Varsity Blues?" I guess I also shouldn't have been surprised by the way they bumbled through the caper and allowed one of their own to take one for the team...but then again this guy did also direct the high-brow epic "Good Burger." All sarcasm aside, and not expecting too much from what I knew this MTV-tinged offering inspired...it was a mildly entertaining teenage flick. Of course, it doesn't send the most positive of messages, in that in condones cheating and theft...but alas, we're not perfect. One other item I thought was indicative of life imitating art (or vice versa) was of real-life basketball phenom Darius Miles (who stars here as, well basketball phenom Desmond Rhodes) who struggles to pass the exam in order to enter prestigious St. John's University. Well, to teach another valuable lesson to American children everywhere (on top of the bad acting, and stealing answers to SAT) he in real-life decided to spurn St. John's to go right for the bling-bling of the NBA. We don't need no education.

3 out of 5 stars