Jennifer Love Hewitt's boyfriend breaks up with her as high school ends and everyone's in line for the rebound in 1998's Can't Hardly Wait. It's about as uncinematic as a movie can get with bland cinematography and production design and the plot would make a sitcom writer laugh (in contempt). Yet it somehow has a cameo or supporting role for seemingly every young indie star and comedy star for the decade that followed the film.
Seth Green, Selma Blair, Jason Segel, Jenna Elfman, Amber Benson, Jerry O'Connell (at least he was known from Stand By Me), and others I probably don't recognise all show up for the house party at what never looks like anything other than a soundstage. Our hero is Preston (Ethan Embry), who's been pining for Jennifer Love Hewitt for years but has never spoken to her. He has written her a long letter and dreams of giving it to her and beginning a miraculous romance.
Miraculously, although he throws it away, the letter does wind up in her hands. Even more miraculously, it thoroughly woos her. The movie avoids showing us exactly what was in the letter. I would say wisely if the whole contrivance weren't itself a bit lame. It basically means the spark between these two characters is composed completely out of thin air. The movie was supposedly inspired by John Hughes movies but the romantic leads in all of Hughes' movies have meaningful dialogue and interactions, they all have issues they work out. Can't Hardly Wait is like porn without sex or nudity.
A subplot with Seth Green and Lauren Ambrose, in which the two get locked in a (spacious soundstage) bathroom together is a little better. At least these two talk and the have a history, having been friends in elementary school. And the performers do have chemistry, almost enough to make up for the cornball stock sitcom plot. The other subplot is about a nerd who becomes cool. Yep, it's all stock.
Can't Hardly Wait is available on The Criterion Channel.
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