"He's All That" is so not it
Photo courtesy of Buzzfeed
In 1999, the now classic rom-com “She’s All That” hit theaters. The movie follows popular high school athlete Zack Siler (Freddie Prinze Jr.) who makes a bet that he can turn loner girl Laney Boggs (Rachael Leigh Cook) into the prom queen. After over 20 years, the film has found a second life with a gender-swapped version titled “He’s All That.” This modern-day reimagining was released on Netflix on Friday, Aug. 27, and features TikTok star Addison Rae and Tanner Buchanan from “Cobra Kai.”
“He’s All That” follows popular influencer Padgett Sawyer (Rae) who, like in the original movie, makes a bet with her friends that she can transform angsty Cameron Kweller (Buchanan) into their prom king. In typical rom-com fashion, the unlikely pair eventually fall for each other until Kweller realizes their relationship as he knows it was all part of a bet. Of course, in the end, the couple reconciles their differences at prom and lives happily ever after. This movie felt like any garbage teen rom-com, until it started feeling more like a fever dream. The vision of Buchanan riding up to school on a horse to console a crying Rae a few minutes after she participated in the most cringey dance battle ever at the end of the movie was shocking, to say the least.
Truthfully, the movie was not as painful as most other Netflix original movies. If you can sit through not one, not two but three “Kissing Booth” movies, then “He’s All That” will be an incredibly easy watch in comparison. It has its cringey moments, and none of the acting is done well, but the movie felt more like an experience than a movie that needed to be consumed with a critical eye.
While the plot is not an original one, “He’s All That” did set itself apart from its inspiration with some modern references. This basic story is framed against the backdrop of both the positive and negative results of influencer and social media culture. It’s not lost on viewers, however, that Rae’s character begins to preach about the superficiality of social media, which is something she herself perpetuates.
While it is commendable that Rae wants to legitimize her career and make more money, her participation as the lead in a film after no prior acting experience was not a well-thought-out decision. It is hard to remove Rae from her TikTok roots when her character is literally an influencer, and there are forced dance scenes where her movement is as stiff as a board. The entire movie felt like a cash grab and only a way to propel Rae’s career.
One of the worst things a movie can do is give an actor a scene where they sing for no reason, and of course, this movie does that to help Rae become even more of a multi-hyphenate. They even have Buchanan show off his “Cobra Kai” skills by beating someone up using karate. Those awkward scenes partnered with the dozens of product placements seen throughout the film made it feel like one prolonged commercial rather than a movie.
One feature of the film that fans of the original will like is the cameos from “She’s All That” actors Cook and Matthew Lillard. Cook’s character Laney Boggs makes a return to play Padgett’s mother. Throughout the movie, she gives her advice and makes references to her teenage years. Lillard, who played reality TV star Brock Hudson in the original movie, returns in the latest film to now play Principal Bosch. Just like every other film in existence, “He’s All That” would’ve been better if there was more Lillard in it. With only a few minutes of screen time toward the end of the movie, Lillard’s character was already 10 times more entertaining and compelling than the other characters combined.
While there was no purpose to “He’s All That,” it did accomplish many things. It confused, it bewildered and it killed the brain cells of many of its viewers. If you enjoy movies with no substance and enough cringey moments to give you second-hand embarrassment, then “He’s All That” is the perfect movie for you.
