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Post by idolette on Feb 13, 2010 14:27:39 GMT -5
This thread will contain spoilers! If you haven't seen the movie, and don't wish to have anything given away, don't read any further.
I noticed a number of people here had seen the movie, and I figured maybe we could start a thread to discuss it in detail without actually giving anything away to people who haven't gotten a chance to see it yet and don't want to have anything given away.
I'll start it off - who was your favorite character and why? Are there any that you just didn't like, and couldn't relate to? At the end of the movie, who did you find in the "right" and who was in the "wrong"?
Personally, the only character I didn't find myself sympathizing with at all at the end of the movie was Ben. Don't get me wrong, I don't think Alexa using Johnny to become the "bad girl" was a very nice thing to do, obviously. I think she was in the wrong, there, but if you watch from the beginning, there are little moves she makes, facial expressions and tell-tale signs that, hey, this girl might be attracted to Johnny. I don't think she would have went after him if there wasn't anything there at all. So she went for it, and Johnny obviously liked her, and Ben knew that, he could see that, but he still wanted to use Johnny for himself, knowing that a) the boy was seeing (at least on some level) Alexa, and b) Alexa was his best friend. That was pretty low to me.
For the most part, I thought Johnny was the closest to being in the right, but at the same time... how "right" could he have been when he was laying in a bed with two people and thought that it was okay to kiss and "be with" both, and still expect them not to fight over him? I understand that he was looking for a family situation. That makes sense when you see what kind of home life he had. But I think on some level, he, too, toyed with emotions, because he wanted both and wanted them to just accept that they would have to share him. That would be kind of hard for me, personally, to deal with. Still, compared to how the other two were both using him to find themselves... he comes off looking like the wounded party, and I think he does deserve that title, especially considering the fact that Ben and Alexa became his "family," he just wanted them to be his friends, to love him and care about him. He was the only one, throughout the whole movie, that I really felt the most for.
I will say, though, that I think it was Emmy's best movie, hands down. There were a few parts where I would say "hmm, maybe that was a bit much," in the delivery of a line or an overexaggerated gesture, but for 99% of the film, I thought she was amazing. Her face in the scene with Ben and Johnny kissing in bed behind her was one of the best parts of the movie!
The only complaint I have, acting-wise, would have to come in the form of the "background characters." Not the parents, or the therapist, but the other students. I just mostly shook my head at them, haha!
But overall, a great movie! What did you guys think?
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leah
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Post by leah on Feb 13, 2010 14:41:31 GMT -5
Okay....I was surprised at how much I cared for Johnny. He tried so hard to have someone in his life with substance. I just overlooked the acting in parts. Alexa and Ben seemed so shallow. I did like her facial expressions the best, well put Idolette. I didn't come away with any respect for Ben. Alexa was minimum. I was so sad at the end of that show, it surprised me. I didn't go in intending to be affected that way.
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Post by lostgirl on Feb 13, 2010 18:16:46 GMT -5
I think thank neither Alexa nor Ben realized that Johnny was so lonely. He projected the tough guy image and they both bought into that and thought he was untouchable. Therefore they assume that they can use him without anyone getting hurt. But just like Alexa isn't just the "good girl" and Ben isn't just the "outsider" Johnny is more than he seems.
I don't think Alexa intended to hurt Johnny. I think she was attracted to him and annoyed by him and when she seduced him she sort of let the attraction win out. Then she sort of got pulled into a tug of war with Ben and forgot that Johnny was a person who was involved. When she realizes how invested Johnny was in his relationship with both of them, she looks almost stricken and I think in the little epilogue she still seems to feel guilty for hurting him so badly.
Ben I think might have been more manipulative from the start. I couldn't figure out if his initial seduction of Johnny was a result of his attraction to Johnny, his jealousy of Alexa, or some kind of assertion of his sexual identity. I think he sort of enjoys telling Alexa that he'd been with Johnny and relishes her reaction.
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Post by idolette on Feb 13, 2010 18:42:03 GMT -5
Ben I think might have been more manipulative from the start. I couldn't figure out if his initial seduction of Johnny was a result of his attraction to Johnny, his jealousy of Alexa, or some kind of assertion of his sexual identity. I think he sort of enjoys telling Alexa that he'd been with Johnny and relishes her reaction. I so agree with this. (Well, and everything you posted!) He was the only character that I couldn't help but dislike for the simple fact that he seemed to know exactly what he was doing, and that it would hurt his friend, especially. |
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leah
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Post by leah on Feb 13, 2010 22:12:15 GMT -5
Idolette and Lostgirl I think your right. I felt Ben was whinny but I didn't realize how manipulative he seemed till end. That weird scene at the party seemed so odd. Alexa seemed to have set it up. With bad intentions. When Alexa and Ben went off to talk, then came back, Ben pushed Johnny even more. I thought Alexa would tell Ben to backoff, but it didn't seem that way. Then A & B had their fight, and poor Johnny was so obviously hurt. He really thought they could be a little family. Silly isn't it? It must be a good movie if you end up disliking the main stars and it weighs on your heart a bit.  I am curious Idolette what scenes they cut out. I can guess, but I watched it on Video on Demand. It seemed pretty detailed. |
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Post by lostgirl on Feb 13, 2010 22:24:51 GMT -5
In the Q&A I saw Emmy said that the scene at the end was the hardest for her to shoot because she felt so bad for Johnny
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Post by idolette on Feb 13, 2010 22:25:31 GMT -5
I am curious Idolette what scenes they cut out. I can guess, but I watched it on Video on Demand. It seemed pretty detailed. Did you watch it on DVD? I rented it online, so you don't get any of the special features (the audition, commentary, scenes that didn't make it into the movie), but when I was looking through screencaps on another Emmy fansite, I realized the deleted scenes looked like they would be interesting. That's what I meant by deleted scenes, has anyone here seen them? It looks, from the pictures, like there was an interesting one with Alexa. |
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leah
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Post by leah on Feb 14, 2010 13:04:57 GMT -5
Happy Valentine's Day! I'm sorry. I thought you meant deleted because of content. I didn't rent the DVD. I saw it on pay per view, so it is probably the same as what you had. After seeing it, I would like to see additional features.
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Post by idolette on Feb 14, 2010 13:07:35 GMT -5
Happy Valentine's Day! I'm sorry. I thought you meant deleted because of content. I didn't rent the DVD. I saw it on pay per view, so it is probably the same as what you had. After seeing it, I would like to see additional features. Happy Valentine's Day to you, too! ;D Same here, I'd love to see the deleted scenes, and see how good Emmy's audition tape is. |
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Post by actresssinger7 on Feb 17, 2010 19:24:43 GMT -5
Did you watch it on DVD? I rented it online, so you don't get any of the special features (the audition, commentary, scenes that didn't make it into the movie), but when I was looking through screencaps on another Emmy fansite, I realized the deleted scenes looked like they would be interesting. That's what I meant by deleted scenes, has anyone here seen them? It looks, from the pictures, like there was an interesting one with Alexa. In one of the deleted scenes, Alexa has an orgasm. (they cut it out, as it was set before Alexa has sex with Johnny, and David and Adam thought it just kind of defied the purpose of her being a completly non-sexual person) In the other one, it starts off with Courtney resting her head on Ben's shoulder. Been walks through the door and says something to Alexa. (who is fixing her makeup) Alexa responds coldly. (the deleted scene is called "The tense threesome") Then, Johnny comes in and Been walks away. Then it cuts to the high school auditorium scene. |
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Post by idolette on Feb 17, 2010 23:14:33 GMT -5
Lmao, yeah, that first one that you described would be the one I'm talking about. I saw the pictures and sent them to a friend and was like "yeah, so I am seeing what I am seeing, right?"  |
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kati
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Post by kati on Mar 31, 2010 11:52:50 GMT -5
Has someone seen Emmy's audition? I would love to see it, but I guess one can only find it on the DVD?
I agree with you that Ben was the least likable. But I did feel bad for him too, I felt Alexa treats him unfairly sometimes. E.g. in that scene after Ben has picked Johnny up and they go to his house, when Johnny enters Ben's bedroom and Alexa comes towards him to "greet" him. I thought the way she makes out with him in front of Ben was kind of unnecessary and almost a bit cruel.
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Post by idolette on Mar 31, 2010 13:05:40 GMT -5
Has someone seen Emmy's audition? I would love to see it, but I guess one can only find it on the DVD? I agree with you that Ben was the least likable. But I did feel bad for him too, I felt Alexa treats him unfairly sometimes. E.g. in that scene after Ben has picked Johnny up and they go to his house, when Johnny enters Ben's bedroom and Alexa comes towards him to "greet" him. I thought the way she makes out with him in front of Ben was kind of unnecessary and almost a bit cruel. I haven't been able to find any of the special features online, either. Wishful thinking, guess I'll have to pick up the DVD sometime! I do agree that it came across as a little cruel, but on the same side, it was a little cruel for Ben to even make a move on Johnny to begin with when he knew that Alexa was at least with him on some level. I think, if you look at it that way, he kind of started a war. |
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Post by actresssinger7 on Mar 31, 2010 22:02:27 GMT -5
I can rip the audition from the DVD for you guys to see, if you want me to. It'll only be on youtube for a day or two, as I don't feel comfortable with pirating things.
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kati
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Post by kati on Apr 7, 2010 22:23:01 GMT -5
I do agree that it came across as a little cruel, but on the same side, it was a little cruel for Ben to even make a move on Johnny to begin with when he knew that Alexa was at least with him on some level. I think, if you look at it that way, he kind of started a war. Ooh, yes, that's true! I think I felt a bit bad for Ben because I had the feeling that he was kind of unhappy from the beginning of the movie. He seemed to really suffer a bit from being kind of the loser/outcast, whereas Alexa seemed pretty happy. She too was somewhat shy and insecure, but I felt like she was basically quite content and especially confident in her future and all, whereas Ben seemed a bit lost to me from the beginning. I also think he was a bit afraid when he saw Alexa with Johnny, especially during their theatre performance. I think he feared losing her, and in a way she was all he really had as a friend. But then I think instead of talking to her or something he decided to try to take away from her what had come between them so to say. (well that's my little interpretation) And I really kind of liked that aspect because I feel that it's something that really happens a lot in high school and I think also among friends. I have the feeling that there's so often somewhat of a competition factor and people betray others out of jealousy even though they're at the same time still close and actually really care for another. (sorry for the long post again!) I can rip the audition from the DVD for you guys to see, if you want me to. It'll only be on youtube for a day or two, as I don't feel comfortable with pirating things. That would be great, but like Caddie said, really only do it if you're okay with it! |
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I am curious Idolette what scenes they cut out. I can guess, but I watched it on Video on Demand. It seemed pretty detailed.
