Clueless

Rating:
Summary: Totally Clueless
Review: In Amy Heckerling's adaption of Emma, written by Jane Austen, we get a firsthand look at the lives of a group of affluent youths living in southern California in the 90's. The film, Clueless, is centralized around Cher, who in all reality is totally clueless about the world around her. She is so wrapped up in material things and appearances that she fails to see what is going on right under her nose. The movie begins with Cher showing the audience around her so called "stomping grounds" while introducing us to her other affluent friends. In the first scene we get to meet Dionne (played by Stacey Dash) who is Cher's best friend. The relationship between the two best friends was extremely believable because everyone has a friend to talk to when you are happy, sad, or upset. In the next few scenes we meet the rest of the crew that the movie virtually revolves around which includes Murray (Dionne's fun loving boyfriend), Josh (Cher's ex-step brother), Elton (one of the most popular guys in school), Amber (Cruella Deville like) and are later introduced to Tai(new kid from the east coast), and Christian(the mysterious new kid). If you like the movie Emma, or even thought it was a little dry, you will really like Clueless. It is the same matchmaking story with a 90's twist. Instead of Gwyenth Paltrow dressed in clothes adapted from the 1800's you get to watch the same basic story with Alicia Silverstone set in the here and now. No stuffy old language and English accents to sift through. In CluelessCher goes through the same situations as the average teenager, for the most part, and that is what makes it really relatable. She ends up getting bad grades on her report card and her, along with best friend sidekick Dionne, hatch a plan to raise not only their grades, but the grades of the entire student body. After her success (and after being told by Josh she is selfish) Cher decides that she needs to find a new project... help Tai become a total betty. The rest of the movie takes the audience through the ins and outs of high school and will have the whole audience remembering their high school days in no time. Overall I thought the movie was really well done. Even though some say that Cher came off as being ditzy, I thought that she was rather smart and often clever. This can be seen in the scene where Josh is giving Cher and his girlfriend a ride home. The whole ride his girlfriend is constantly talking, during the incessant ramble she says that Hamlet says a quote that he really doesn't and Cher corrects her on it. Sure, she learned the quote from the movie with Mel Gibson, but that doesn't take away from the fact that she knew that. It doesn't matter where you get your information through, as long as you get it and retain it. Clueless is a good movie, so check it out... but a helpful hint to all- skip the television series.

Rating:
Summary: Lesson in Love - Lesson in Life
Review: In order to understand "Clueless" in its fullest sense and for what it really means, one must look past the apparent idealism and optimism that Beverly Hills high school life puts on display and see its true meaning. In actuality, "Clueless" is a classic love story focusing on the maturation of a young girl into a young woman (although these events may eventually make her a woman, but after all, she is only 16). Yes, "Clueless" is a modern-day version of Jane Austen's novel "Emma", but it should also be given the individual attention and critical acclaim that it deserves.

Throughout the film, Cher seems to have everything going for her. Her father is rich, she gets what she wants (sometimes at the expense of others), and she is surrounded by California pop-culture. What more could a girl ask for? Well, add to this the facts that she is self-absorbed, spoiled, and egotistical and you have the makings for a rather unpleasant personality. Luckily, Cher is sweet and charming, allowing her to come off as pleasing and flawless to most. Combine this with the fact that she is rather intelligent, although the ditzy persona is a front encouraged by society, and you have the makings of a rather outstanding person who just needs a little lesson about life and love - exactly the point of the film.

Cher's problem is that people just like her, namely Dionne, surround her. It is even stated by Cher that they are not friends because they like each other, but rather, "she's my friend because we both know what it is to have people be jealous of us." Now, this comes off as a rather arrogant statement - as well it should - but Cher's outlook on life is about to be drastically altered - that is, after she "develops" Tai. Cher's "charity work" extends to everyone and when she notices the "project" of Tai, there is no stopping her. At this point, Cher feels that she is doing Tai a favor (as does Tai feel likewise), when in actuality, Cher is partaking in these actions because of, and through selfish means. Cher wants to help out Tai because she doesn't have a clue - or rather, she doesn't have Cher's definition of a clue - when really, it is Cher who is "clueless." Fortunately, when Tai's "development" starts to get out of hand, Cher is able to step back and realize what she has done - she has created herself. And she hates it. Only now does Cher realize what she has been doing wrong all of this time - that being living through others and also not allowing herself to be loved.

Sure, many minor love episodes occur throughout the film, but the one at hand is the only love that matters. After all, it does complete the classic love story. Only after Cher is "challenged" for love does she actually open her eyes, and heart, to it. Tai foolishly expresses her love for Josh when it is apparent that it has no chance, but this served as a mind-opening experience for Cher, for she realized that "her" love was meant to be. Josh is the man that she has been looking for all along and he could now be hers, for she is on the path to becoming a woman.

Throughout all of this chaos, which seemed to get a little hectic at times, love emerges and settles in the place that it belongs. Who knows, if not for Tai, maybe Cher would have never gotten to know, understand, and be secure with herself. In other words, to become that person that she is capable of being. Fortunately, things did turn out for the best - an apparent aspect of a classic love story - and Cher's maturation will continue, hopefully strengthening the bond, friendship, companionship, and love between her and Josh.

Rating:
Summary: Not just another No Brainer
Review: The movie Clueless seems to come on as just another one of those films that really has no artistic or social value. This is proven to be untrue when this film is analyzed. This film is the modern day version of the story of Emma written by Jane Austen. The story is of a lady that lives at home with her father. She is a very popular person in her own social circle. The Character Cher has very high expectations for herself in the social circle. As like Emma in her own circle. They each tell the story of a girl who really doesn't know herself or even take the time to try to find out whom she really is. She is so caught up in other people doings that she doesn't even think about herself. At one time they each find themselves to be in love when suddenly they each find out that this is not true. They each find love in the last place they would have looked. In each film you can take notice as to characters that play the same roles. For instance Travis in Clueless, and Mr. Martin in the story of Emma. They both fall in love with a girl that denies their proposition to either date or marry. The character Travis falls for a girl named Tai. The same scenario takes place with Mr. Martin and the character Miss. Smith in the story of Emma. Also the character Elton in the movie clueless is taken after the character Mr. Elton in the story of Emma. The movie clueless shows Elton making a move on Cher. He finds out that he was getting the wrong message that Cher was sending out. The same is true between Mr. Elton and Emma in the story of Emma on their way home after the party. And the last great match up between characters is Josh in the movie Clueless, and Mr. Knightly in the story of Emma. They both are the closest to either Cher or Emma and both find themselves in love with the either Cher or Emma. There are also many other characters you can connect such as: Christian and Mr. Frank Churchill, Deon and Ms. Taylor, Amber and Mrs. Elton, also Murray and Mr. Watson. Not only are their just characters that play the same roles there are also scenes that are almost identical. Two scenes that are almost identical are the one in clueless were Cher takes a picture of Tai and Elton hangs it in his locker. This is a direct reference to the scene in Emma where Emma paints a picture of Ms. Smith and Mr. Elton takes it to London to be framed. One other case of this is in clueless where Tai is being hung over the railing in the mall and Christian comes over to save her. This same scenario takes place in Emma when Mr. Churchill comes to the Aid of Ms. Smith and Emma when gypsies are attacking them. So for those of you out there that think clueless is a lame film and has really no point I hope that I have helped you to understand its true value. This may not be the best version of the classic story of Emma, but it does portray the real story in a modern day version.

Rating:
Summary: Jane Austen's Emma with a lot of spice.
Review: Are you ready to party with the Valley girls? Amy Heckerling's Clueless is an interesting portrayl of high school girls in Beverly Hills. She brings humor along with some interesting lessons to the lives of teenagers. Alicia Sliverstone plays the main character Cher. There's no one else who could play this part so well. She's funny and captures our attention with her role as "rich girl". Cher is the typical rich girl in high school with her popular friends and keen fashion sense. She can handle being a part of everyone else's personal life but when it comes to her own personal life she's lost. Humor is brought into the lives of these girls when we see how these girls live. With their computerized closets, cell phones, credit cards, and expensive cars. It's rich girls to the extreme. Cher's main goal in this movie is to make people happy. How she goes about making people happy is a different story. She'll do everything and anything. When a new girl comes to town Cher has to be the one to give her a make-over and show her the right crowd to hang around with. This also leads to Cher's adventures in matchmaking. One way Cher likes to spread happiness to everyone is by playing matchmaker. This is also where she finds trouble. While trying to create matches between people she doesn't see the match for herself right before her eyes. The matchmaking we see in this film is very much like the book "Emma" written by Jane Austen. If you haven't read it see it on video. "Emma" takes place in a different time period but the similarities between Emma and Cher are amazing. The two movies have parallel characters and scenes. If you've seen "Emma" you'll enjoy Clueless even more. It's great to see a similarity in movies that portray totally different time periods. Clueless takes "Emma" to the extreme with teens. We see what it was like to live then as opposed to now, with the cell phone and computerized closets. Even though the times are different the underlying themes are the same. There's the "perfect" girl trying her hardest to make everyone happy, yet she's does it in such a clueless manner. She's trying to make others happy but she's doesn't always chose the best ways of doing things. People may hate Cher for her cluelessness but when it comes down to it she's only doing things for good reason. There's no bad intentions in her heart. She may be annoying and some will see her as a "dumb blonde" but not many people are as caring. There are lessons to be taught in this movie and if you find these lessons you have really "seen" the movie and you aren't as "clueless" as some.

Rating:
Summary: Hesitantly Fun, Worth Watching
Review: Not many characters in many movies are truly clueless. Monty Python's Sir Bedevere, and Adam Sandler's Pip, from Airheads come to mind immediately. Their stupidity is just that, though, and not much more. In Clueless, Alicia Silverstone's Cher Horowitz is not only dumb in the traditional meaning of the word, but she is also blind to the impact she has on the people in her life. Silverstone (The Crush, Batman and Robin) plays Horowitz perfectly, as if she were typecast for the role. Horowitz goes through her life seemingly meeting every hardship the only daughter of a Beverly Hills litigation lawyer can meet. "Searching for a boy in high school is like searching for meaning in a Pauly Shore movie," Cher quips amusingly. Along with her friend, Dionne, Cher majestically controls the people around her like the best puppeteer. Throughout the days and weeks we are let into her life, Cher slowly comes to realize her own lack of depth, who she truly loves, and the damage she does to the people around her seemingly under the guise of good-doing. IMDB.com says that the story is "loosely" based on Jane Austen's Emma, though I found most of the story of Clueless could be directly related somehow to Emma. Although at times, it may seem like a gaudy translation, Clueless contradicts its title in entertainment value, as well as bringing to light some personal conflicts. Casting Director Marcia Ross deserves a pat on the back for filling in the roles flawlessly. It is easy to discern what a character is all about upon first seeing him or her in the movie. Too, most characters from Clueless have some sort of ties to a corresponding character from Austen's Emma. Stacey Dash (Mo' Money, Clueless television series) is great as Dionne, Cher's best friend and confidant. Jeremy Sisto (Suicide Kings) plays Elton who, upon immediate sighting, can be interpreted as everyone's favorite and the most popular. Paul Rudd (The Object of My Affection, The Cider House Rules) steals the show, however, playing Cher's irresistible and sensitive ex-stepbrother, Josh. Unfortunately, not too much can be said for the script because hearing "valley girl speak" for 97 minutes can, at times, be annoying and aggravating. The style most likely strikes a chord with teenagers who, for the most part, partake in the pace and informality of the dialect. On the other hand, many of the exchanges between characters are witty and amusing, redeeming the dialogue to a point where even people of considerable knowledge and understanding of the world around us can find humor. For example: Josh's girlfriend Heather: "It's just like Hamlet said, 'To thine own self be true.'" Cher: "Hamlet didn't say that." Heather: "I think I remember Hamlet accurately." Cher: "Well, I remember Mel Gibson accurately, and he didn't say that. That Polonius guy did." This exchange is witty and intelligent, indeed, despite its roots in shallowness and lack of worldly knowledge. Overall, I would say that at least, Clueless is entertaining. At its high points, the story raises some interesting questions about coming of age and maturity. Without revealing too much of the plot, I will say that as the movie progresses, Cher truly comes to understand how clueless she, in fact, is. The happy ending caps the movie with a nice layer of sweetness, leaving the viewer with hope for the characters, after all. Do not watch the movie with too critical an eye, but do take note of the message it delivers about self-awareness and maturity. In the end, the story is fun, and that is really all that's important.

Rating:
Summary: Get a Clue!
Review: Only the most clueless won't want to watch this light-hearted movie that humorously makes fun of teenage life in California! Alicia Silverstone and Stacey Dash do a convincing job of portraying teens with a ridiculously funny number of amenities. Best friends Cher (Silverstone) and Dionne (Dash) present their views about their rich lives, and their sincere efforts to better themselves and their community result in matchmaking, make-overs, and volunteering for charitable causes, all of which wind their way through comedic experiences. Cher's naivety makes for a well-meaning but flawed character that one can't help but smile at. What would a movie about teenagers be without the 'love comes from places that you're not looking' storyline? While Cher's mission is to play matchmaker to those that she knows, Cupid's arrow is also aimed at her. Who could be suitable enough for Cher, you wonder? Watch this entertaining movie! The acting is convincing, and the "valley girl" image is pulled off with flying colors. Even though the bulk of the acting in this movie comes from teenagers, do not think that their acting skills are not commendable! Many of us pick up on weak acting skills as we encounter them in a movie, but I can not tell you of a single scene that lacked good acting. One does need to appreciate the silly intentions of certain scenes, so as not to mistake these intentions for elementary acting. The cinematography is aesthetically pleasing, with the lightness of the movie portrayed with many scenes that are very colorful, bright and well-lit, and the romantic scenes are appropriately dimly-lit. The "costume design" was unique, bright, crisp and very interesting, if not amusing at times. The fact that many of the characters were well off financially held them to high standards of fashion which were well-met, yet not distracting (except for a certain hat that you will surely notice when you watch it!). This film's editing moves the story along smoothly, scene sequences are appropriate, and of the appropriate length, as you will not catch yourself glancing at your watch during this movie. The music in Clueless is mostly hip, lively, modern and catchy, as you find yourself tapping your feet or bouncing your head. These characters are easily made fun of, yet deserve respect for their well-meaning intentions. Clueless is an adaptation of the movie Emma, and they so closely parallel each other, yet Clueless offers a different flavor than the more conservative version, Emma. If you have seen the movie Emma, or have read the book and liked the storyline, try this version for lighter, more modern and equally humorous entertainment. If you did not like the story Emma, try this version for lighter, more modern and hilarious entertainment! This movie is not likely to change your life, or inspire you to join the Peace Corps, but Clueless is a "feel-good" movie, and will give you a few good laughs.

Rating:
Summary: Clueless Reviewed
Review: Clueless is the first movie I have ever watched twice in a row. It came out when I was about sixteen-years old, and had all of the glitz and glamour that I loved to watch. Now, seeing it several years later I still like it just as much, and I find myself thinking the same scenes are funny. At sixteen, what I had not realized is that this movie was actually based on something over a hundred years old. Clueless is a modern day parody of Jane Austen's Emma. Amy Heckerling did a magnificent work in directing and writing this screenplay to keep the stories parallel. This movie looks at one specific high school and the popular kids that fill the halls. Popularity is the driving force behind most of the characters. This is evident in the way the kids dress and what they have. The clothes are straight out of a fashion magazine and quite dressy for a day at school. Friends talk to each other between classes on cell phones and drive around in BMW's. One of the most identifying marks of the characters is the use of "valley girl" language. The setting for Clueless is set amidst the glamour of California. From the opening scenes we learn that the main character, Cher, played by Alicia Silverstone, is quite wealthy. She lives with her father in a gorgeous home with a swimming pool, has a custom wardrobe, and a brand new Jeep. What teenager cannot relate to that? It is exactly that mostly unattainable lifestyle, which attracts so much interest in this movie. Cher is the head of her social group and her best friend is Dionne, who is likewise a spoiled young lady. Their lives are going as usual until a new girl arrives in gym class. Cher sees the girl has no fashion ability and immediately feels a project coming on. It is here that we learn how Cher is a kind person who likes to help people. From that moment, Cher turns Tai into a stylish girl like herself. Besides being preoccupied with popularity, what do teenagers worry about? Love and the opposite sex. This is exactly what the focus of the movie becomes. Cher wants to find someone for Tai, and she herself claims she is happy being single. We see Cher making desperate attempts to set Tai up with a popular classmate. Tai goes along with Cher, and leaves a most unpopular guy with a crush aside. Amidst all of the matchmaking there are typical high school parties to attend and shopping to be done. Besides Dionne and Tai, Cher has several friends, two of whom are her ex-stepbrother Josh and the new guy, Christian. She surrounds herself with all of these people and keeps busy with her project for Tai, until she realizes that maybe she would like to fall in love. The outcome of who Tai and Cher end up with is quite amusing and unexpected for many viewers. When Cher realizes whom she truly loves, she suddenly is not "clueless" any more.

Rating:
Summary: A Slow Transformation
Review: The film Clueless gives new meaning to the word "matchmaker." In this movie, Cher is the main character who tries to setup her newest creation, Tai, into dating her friend Elton. The only problem is, Elton likes Cher. Alicia Silverstone, who portrays Cher portrays the "Valley Girl" image perfectly. Cher is spoiled rotten and uses such phrases as; "whatever" and "as if." Cher does take care of her father and makes sure that he eats properly, although her father is widowed, he often mixes business with home life and raising Cher.

Cher has a "ex stepbrother" named Josh who comes to visit and starts to look for a job with the help of his former stepfather. Josh is sensible and reasonable and helps by giving advice to Cher about her "high school" type problems. Josh's sensibility matches that of Mr. Knightley in the film "Emma." Josh is the only person that honestly tells Cher how what she does to people, good or bad, affects them. At the beginning it appears as though Cher is generally annoyed at what Josh has to say and does. Although she feels this way, he is the first person she calls when Elton left her in a parking lot after Cher refused his advances. Cher has a lot of trust in what Josh does for her, and she knows he will always be there.

Overall, I enjoyed the cast of characters, I thought them all to be believable in their respective roles and I thought they all personified the "Beverly Hills" characteristics very well. I enjoyed watching Cher and her attempts at getting what she wants and her reactions to things that didn't quite go the way she anticipated they would. I also enjoyed the narrative that Cher provided, I think it really helped because it allowed the audience to somewhat be included in the movie and thus made the movie fast paced.

Although there were good things in the movie which I enjoyed, I really thought that it was sugar-coated. Some of the language got annoying after awhile and the constant cell phone use made the movie at times hard to believe. I do realize that it was supposed to be a light hearted movie, but the whole relationship between students and Mr. Hall was really over the top. The fact that a teacher would actually allow students to have cell phones was extreme and the whole arrangement to set up Mr. Hall and Mrs. Geist was as well.

I did enjoy watching the movie and felt right at home with some of the topics discussed. That is why if I were going to compare Emma and Clueless, I would have to say I liked Clueless better. I felt as though even though Cher was portrayed as a ditz, she did have a lot of saved knowledge. She really did care about the feelings of others, it just took a few mistakes in her matchmaking to help her to realize that.

Rating:
Summary: Darn Right Funny
Review: Clueless is a darn right funny show that every teen should watch. The satire of this movie makes it show non-realism of a real school setting. Cher, the bubbly character, who loves her dad, loves to shop, loves to go to parties, and loves to talk to her friend on the cell phone makes it the funniest movie I have seen in sometime. This unbelievable attempt to translate a classic movie called Emma into modern context that is a satire of the superficial teen generated on everyday teen shows. This movie will make you wish that you could have a life like this because it is so eye popping on the way things worked in this movie. This movie not only looks at one side of the movie of being all happy. Cher has to deal with everyday things like dealing with her father on checking her report card, dealing with friends that made her mad, trying to coupe with her annoying brother-in-law, and trying to pass a driving test that she failed miserably. Cher also tries to be the matchmaker in her school. When she matched the two teachers together, she finds it her job to make matches for other people. When Ty comes into the movie Cher can't resist changing her whole appearance. She finds it her job to find someone very wealthy and very well respected for Ty. It is the one of many funny parts when Ty walks into her first class. The all to "good girls" think that she is a farmer but Cher and her friend want to help her making her more popular then Cher at the end of the movie. It is all to hard to explain this part that I just explained, that is why you have to watch the whole movie to get the full meaning of the story. "Clueless" is one of the best films released in the 1990's due to the smart use of popular attitudes that can be attributed to most American teenagers. This is one of Silverstone's greatest performance ever made in my opinion. "Clueless" is a classic teenage film you can watch over and over again.

Rating:
Summary: Copycat
Review: Is it just me or do we see a copycat of Emma here? Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the movie but by seeing Emma first I noticed so many similarities that it seemed like I was watching the same movie just with different actors/actresses. Clueless seemed more understandable to me because I could relate to the match making strategies. Clueless is more compatible to my generation, which makes it more interesting to me. I thought it was a pretty good movie even with some of the unrealistic things that happened. For example, Cher has a temporary driver's license and so does her friend Dionne so they feel that with the two of them together they have a complete driver's license. Cher's father realizes that they are doing this and does not really do anything to punish his daughter. Her computerized wardrobe selection and spinning closet are unrealistic to any normal teenager. The fact that Cher can negotiate her grades the way she does is quite entertaining, no one could really get their teacher to go from a C to an A-. The movie does have its realistic points too. They act like normal teenagers by wanting to go out and party. Cher and Dionne are typical teenage girls, they enjoy shopping and are very concerned about the way they look. Cher and Josh have a typical step-sibling relationship, or at least until later on in the movie. The way that they all act in school towards each other seems very normal to how students act at a majority of schools. They were divided into their own clicks and that's where they are forced to stay. No one is allowed to associate with anyone that is not in their own click. I found it interesting when Tai, a new girl, came to their school Cher and Dionne deceided to take her under their wings and teach her the ropes. Cher and Dionne went as far as to change her entire look and tried to set her up with one of the most popular boys, named Elton. I found it odd that Cher got so wrapped up in trying to set up Tai that she became clueless that someone right in front of her was crazy for her. I liked how in the end when Josh was apologizing for the other lawyer he brought into the conversation that no one cares for him hoping for Cher to confess that she cares for him. They act so childish at that point but it makes it such a sweet part of the movie and every girls dream. I'm one for the sappy ending and that is why I really liked that part. It's nice to see that in the end everyone can end up happy but in real world that is not always true. That's why I found this movie very enjoyable and entertaining. If your not one for sappy love movies then I deffinately do not recommend this movie for you. Even though guys may find it a chick flick, many guys have enjoyed as well.