Beautiful Girls has a great story line and good characters. The plot is something anyone would be interested and relate to, and it is well acted. I really wish the dialogue were written by someone maybe a little more "earthy." There are some pretty cringe-worthy moments. In trying to capture a feeling of "bro" behavior, some of the dialog rings false, like it was either written by a woman who does not spend a lot of time with these types of men, or a man who does not have these kinds of friends.
I know many men like the ones portrayed in the movie: trapped in their own self-defeating fantasies and not particularly successful. If one of them began a conversation like the ones in the film, his friends would think he was speaking in a different language.
I know Uma Thurman was cast as the token "beautiful girl" yet some of the lines she said just sounded silly, maybe like contrived intelligent remarks. There are many highly intelligent and precociously funny teens like Natalie Portman, but they would have never said things like "daddy downer and brother bummer." That is the vernacular of a forty year old screenwriter. For a more realistic portrayal of the sharply sarcastic teen, watch Juno. I have taught for years and can see a vast difference in the two characters meant to appeal to older men.
"Bros" like these would rather stick a needle in their eye rather than sit around a piano to sing "Sweet Caroline" to a girl they want to impress. Of all the dialogue and scenes, that seems the most artificial and contrived. I wish it were taken out of the film.
I also have a few superficial quibbles...the actors do look much too old for a 10 year reunion. I am really ashamed of this particular complaint...but I sort of wish the characters had more 90's era style...to add some nostalgia. No one has any style. Also the soundtrack is horrific. However, it is very watchable overall.
I know many men like the ones portrayed in the movie: trapped in their own self-defeating fantasies and not particularly successful. If one of them began a conversation like the ones in the film, his friends would think he was speaking in a different language.
I know Uma Thurman was cast as the token "beautiful girl" yet some of the lines she said just sounded silly, maybe like contrived intelligent remarks. There are many highly intelligent and precociously funny teens like Natalie Portman, but they would have never said things like "daddy downer and brother bummer." That is the vernacular of a forty year old screenwriter. For a more realistic portrayal of the sharply sarcastic teen, watch Juno. I have taught for years and can see a vast difference in the two characters meant to appeal to older men.
"Bros" like these would rather stick a needle in their eye rather than sit around a piano to sing "Sweet Caroline" to a girl they want to impress. Of all the dialogue and scenes, that seems the most artificial and contrived. I wish it were taken out of the film.
I also have a few superficial quibbles...the actors do look much too old for a 10 year reunion. I am really ashamed of this particular complaint...but I sort of wish the characters had more 90's era style...to add some nostalgia. No one has any style. Also the soundtrack is horrific. However, it is very watchable overall.