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Can't Buy Me Love might have been an early example of this story structure, but this is certainly something that became quite popular in romantic comedies over time. The idea of a makeover to get one person to fit into another crowd is well-trod territory, but I was surprised that in this version it's the outcast kid who leverages something in order to convince the popular kid to help him out. However, this choice in the script makes the protagonist extremely tough to like. He's mean-spirited at the start as he basically bribes/blackmails to get what he wants, and then just gets worse as he gains popularity and mistreats others to fit in with the hip crowd. I've seen somewhat similar tropes, but here it got so bad that I struggled to care about the guy winning the girl in the end.

I did like Amanda Peterson and Patrick Dempsey in the lead roles, and they had some decent chemistry. I only wish the script gave them more time to develop a convincing romance. It felt like they were thrown together for script convenience, but didn't have enough real moments of quality time that I could believe anyone fell in love. All that negative being said, there's just something about this type of rom-com that I enjoy. I'm sure it relates to the nerd getting the girl, since I was a nerd myself. It has moments that make me smile, and I appreciate that they show how awful some of the childish behavior of teenagers can be, particularly when engaged in strictly because the popular kids are doing it. As you can tell it's not one of my favorites, but it's one I wouldn't refuse to watch again if asked.

I guess I can see why filmmakers like these large ensemble films with a bunch of little storylines going on at once. It's like shooting with a shotgun, so even if some of it misses the mark you're bound to have a hit somewhere. Sure enough I definitely connect with the one storyline that you might consider the "main" plot. Ethan Embry and his unrequited love for Jennifer Love Hewitt is just adorable, and hits a number of heartwarming beats that I enjoyed. I was so interested and invested in that story that I wish they spent more time on it. All the other stories are less successful for me. Some are OK but mostly just for comic relief while others are kind of stupid (like whatever is going on with the band.)

I'm surprised how poorly Can't Hardly Wait ages when it comes to the nerd and jock story, though. The idea that they use homosexuality as a point of shame is disappointing. I also found the nerd too stupid, and can't believe he was able to integrate into the cool crowd so quickly. One of the weird things about a film like this is that it focuses on the building of these new relationships, but it's all after the last day of school. We're watching people who likely won't see each other much (or even at all) in the future. That makes it tough to get invested in the blossoming of new love when you think it won't last. At least this is better than the similar film Dazed and Confused, because I actually cared about some of these people.

I kind of expected that Long Shot was going to be a somewhat authentic and sweet story of an unlikely guy winning his way into the heart of a beautiful woman who was planning to run for president. However, while the plot was what I expected, the tone was not. This doesn't play like any realistic scenario, as these characters are crass to a level that I can't imagine ever being accepted by anyone in the media. Not to mention the fact that it ended in the way it did. There's a level of goofy irreverence in the plot that keeps this from falling under the label "authentic." Also, while there are some cute moments, the film on the whole is less "sweet" and more sexy. The main characters have real moments of connection with one another, but that leads to them jumping into the sack instead of simply staring longingly into one-another's eyes.

All this sounds like I didn't enjoy the film, but it's quite the contrary. While it defied expectations, I still enjoyed the ride. Seth Rogen continues to be unabashedly himself whenever I see him in films. He's not interested in putting on airs or disappearing into a role, he just shows up to deliver his goofy sense of humor and if you don't like it then you better watch someone else's films. What I really appreciate is Charlize Theron blending into the tone of the film. She is a great actress, and displays it by the way she finds some chemistry with Rogen and works to deliver just as many laughs through her acting choices as he is getting. I was annoyed with the expected point of conflict at the end of the film, as it felt a little more over-the-top than was necessary. I also wish Theron wasn't quite so foul-mouthed so I could believe her more as a legitimate presidential candidate. But otherwise, Long Shot was a good film and one I'll recommend to others.