The set up is simple: Mae Whitman is "dorky" Bianca best friends with two of the hottest girls in Malloy High School. She's the brainy, shy, fun one. Yummy Robbie Amell plays Wes the jock-next-door (literally) who use to be best friends with Bianca, and Bella Thorne plays Madison the most popular girl in school and biggest betch! So what's different about this movie? Bianca doesn't realize people view her as the Designated Ugly Fat Friend (DUFF). Mae is perfect as Bianca; her acting and reactions are amazing (although I detest Amber on "Parenthood"). Mae can carry a movie because I wanted to see her in every scene. She cries on cue, is disgusted visually, makes you laugh when you're suppose, and all around the next big thing in Romantic Comedies. Robbie Amell is a testament to not judge a book by its cover. He looks like a gorgeous dumb jock (and has played such a few times), but his eyes are soulful and his portrayal as Wes is enduring. Bella is a BEYOTCH! hahaha I think she's beautiful but OMG her Madison makes me wanna dunk her face in a toilet. So rude! And of course Allison & Ken are hilarious as the adults and voices of reason. Side splitting hilarious.
Where the movie goes wrong...I can't give it away BUT Bianca has a huge crush on Toby. She actually gets the opportunity to get to know Toby and minus points for lazy writing during that entire scene. THEN there's something in the film that's a HUGE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM! It's never addressed, talked about, or resolved. This is so irritating because this is a movie trying to buck the trend and does soooooo well. But missing these two key things especially the last one is annoying. Once you see the movie you'll know what I'm talking about.
Worth seeing. I see big things in both Mae's and Robbie's career (see I praised Robbie even though he never answered my tweet).