“Can’t Hardly Wait” takes us back to a time when where you sat in the cafeteria was the most important thing there was. The film channels the mystique of popular coming-of-age, teen high school stories of the 1980s (see John Hughes) while adding its own personal touch and style.
With a plethora of recognizable names and faces, some in very early roles, “Can’t Hardly Wait” is a great film – and in particular perfect for those of us who attended high school in the 1990s, with plenty of era-centric fashion, music, and pop culture to wax nostalgic from beginning to end. Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont would team together in both writing and directing, and offer us Generation Xers a perfect movie to call our own; complete with outrageous house party, standardized high school cliques, and an awesome soundtrack. Looking back, its the type of movie that could only take place in 1998 – a handful of years shy of the social media age, and the present day lot of the easily offended.
A perfect opening sequence sets the stage as we witness the students of the fictitious Huntington Hillside High School basking in their much anticipated graduation ceremony. That night, all of the students will be attending the infamous house party at the estate of a wealthy classmate.
The success of the movie comes from the shifting perspective of the ensemble of hilarious characters at the school who will be at the party. “Can’t Hardly Wait” comes off as much lighter than many of the similarly styled movies of the 1980s. There isn’t one centralized character, but several, each from their own walk of life that want nothing more than to fit in and be accepted.
Ethan Embry plays Preston Myers, a typical high school commoner who has been secretly crushing over the same girl, the uber-popular and stunningly beautiful Amanda Beckett (Jennifer Love Hewitt) since Freshman year though the pair have never spoken. Preston is planning on using the party as his chance to finally tell Amanda his feelings, but of course, nothing ever goes as planned.
If the 80s has Molly Ringwald, the 90s owns Jennifer Love Hewitt. The teen heartthrob burst onto the scene in the horror hit “I know What You did Last Summer” and here plays the type of character that becomes cliche in all these movies; she’s really pretty but not shallow, and while immensely popular has so much more to offer than her vapid cheerleader friends. Hewitt does well as Amanda Beckett, with a hysterical slowly built reveal that would make the shark in “Jaws” laugh out loud.
The characters are established quickly – one introductory scene each lets us know that Mike Dexter (Peter Facinelli) is the typical popular jock, and Kenny Fisher (Seth Green) is a flawless representation of a 1990s gangster-wannabe (I still recall the halls of my high school being filled with them). Charlie Korsmo flourishes as the unpopular William Lichter, leading a group of nerds on a decade-long revenge plot against their popular tormentors.
While the comedy is present at all times, the film contains several touching interactions as well. One such scene before the party depicts Preston and best friend Denise (Lauren Ambrose) discussing true love and fate amidst the backdrop of a popular Barry Manilow song.
“Can’t Hardly Wait” is an over the top version of just about every high school movie you’ve ever watched. Its funny, heartfelt, and memorable for its characters and high school vibe that we’ve all experienced in one way or another. It falls into my personal Top 20 All Time Favorites list, and now 20 years later, its a perfect time capsule for one of the best eras there was.
by – Matt DeCristo
