Ich kann's kaum erwarten

In the wake of the John Hughes teen-flick boom of the '80s, the '90s was well-stocked with a plethora of coming-of-age films aimed at teenagers. Some were better ("Dazed & Confused") than others ("Empire Records"), but regardless of where you stood on the social ladder, there was most assuredly a film tailor-made just for you. For every "She's All That," there was a "The Craft." Perhaps no film so perfectly encapsulated the late '90s vibe better than "Can't Hardly Wait," a film named after a Replacements song jam packed with music from the likes of Eve 6 and Blink-182. Arriving just one year before "American Pie" would close the decade with a definitive thrust, "Can't Hardly Wait" didn't exactly make a big splash upon release, but has proved to be one of the most re-watchable of its time and of its kind.

It's the last day of high school at Huntington Hillside and the class of '98 packs into the house of one of its more unfortunate classmates for one last hoorah. A virtual melting pot of geeks, stoners, jocks, morons and miscreants, this is a party for just about everyone. Most prominent is our lead character, Preston (played by Ethan Embry, recalling a time when the actor was known as more than "that creepy guy" from any number of horror/thrillers), who is taking advantage of the occasion to finally tell the girl of his dreams, Amanda (Jennifer Love Hewitt, recalling a time when the actress was the "it" girl), just how much he admires her. He's been silently stalking her through the halls, writing a long-winded love letter that he plans on giving to her tonight (because that's not creepy or anything). On the other side of the party, disgruntled nerd William Lichter (Charlie Korsmo) seeks revenge against his tormentor, the insufferable jock Mike Dexter (Peter Facinelli), who -- depending on who you ask -- is either a god, a role model or an a-hole.

The guest list is jam-packed with a slew of actors who were either in every other film of its era or who would go on to do bigger gigs. From Seth Green's wannabe poser, to the criminally underrated Lauren Ambrose (who turns into Green's unlikely love interest), you can't throw a cat in this film without hitting a "Hey, I know that guy/girl!" Jason Segal, Selma Blair, Jerry O'Connell, Breckin Meyer, Clea DuVall, Freddy Rodriguez, Donald Faison, Jaime Pressly and Jenna Elfman, playing an angelic stripper. This film is stacked with young talent. Thankfully, none of this ever feels cluttered or disjointed. Directors Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont duck in and out of different social circles with ease, delivering a memorable moment just about every other minute. The film is high-energy and the cast is more than up to the task of making the sum greater than its parts. Though Green and Ambrose nearly hijack the narrative with their natural chemistry, the film truly belongs to the entire cast.

More than just a time capsule, "Can't Hardly Wait" is a great example of a teen flick done just right. The audience is never insulted, though there is admittedly more than enough sentiment on hand. Unlike the aforementioned "American Pie," the film never goes for gross and never cheapens its characters. These feel like real people having a real experience. Though it didn't have as big an impact as it should've, chances are, if you came of age during the late '90s and saw this film, it's an undeniable part of your DNA at this point. Insanely re-watchable, even those of us in our '30s and even '40s (!) will find it worth revisiting from time to time, unlike our actual high school experiences.