Genres

Visitors Review

Terry Roehrig II 2012-05-21 19:54:46

It's like a really watered down version of 'American Pie' w/o the nudity...

When you try to make the female equivalent to one of the mostraunchiest comedies of all-time (American Pie), shouldn't it be atleast risqué? There is no nudity to speak of in Wild Cherry (yeah, wesee the guys strip down and cover their naughty bits) and that's a bitof false advertising to me. It's not like I look for nudity in all thefilms that I watch... but I do expect them to be there in the raunchyteen sex comedies. It's like not having any blood in a Friday the 13thmovie. It's like not having any cool gadgets to marvel over in a JamesBond film. It's just wrong on so many levels.The movie even started out promising enough, because Katyln Chase(Willis) is doing a documentary on teenage sex. Asking probingquestions to other High School students about their first time, whetheror not they had an orgasm, etc. That's when they come across acheerleader (Moss) that tells them about "The Bang Book" and theyshould "just go ahead and lose theirs (virginity) so the team can winthe big game and go to finals." The virgin girls (Willis, Raymonde,Cavallari) make a pact and try to get other students involved byholding secret meetings in the auditorium. Whereas American Pie is allabout losing your virginity, Wild Cherry is about keeping yourvirginity.It even tries to be raunchy but fails miserably. Even if American Piewas raunchy and disgusting, it was still set up and perfectly executedto make the film funny. Here, someone does a vile, disgusting act withan ice cube tray for no reason whatsoever. No set up, no explanation,just gross. And when the ice cube tray does get used... the personstops the victim from drinking and explains what is so wrong with thetrays. It's quite possibly one of the worst set up/punchline I've everseen in a movie. There are several other examples of bad screen writingand some of the dumbest characters I've ever had the displeasure ofmeeting, but I don't want to spoil it for you in case you want totorture yourselves.About the only redeeming qualities this movie has is found in RobSchneider and Tia Carrere. Schneider stars as Helen's dad, who istrying to get her to stay after she graduates and is also trying toteach her about sex. He does a good job with what he's got to work withand it's a shame that there was a missed opportunity with a jokeinvolving him and a carrot. Tia Carrere is a teacher at the school andalso runs a bookstore in town. I'm not sure what subject she teaches(although, I would be interested in taking it) and she has the bestover-the-top performance in the film while in her 'secret garden',located in the back room of the bookstore. More reviews atwww.soveryterry.com Final Grade: D

2012-05-21 12:14:32

The Girls Strike Back In This Female-Centric Teenage Sex Romp: Watchable, If Not Remarkable

For good or bad, the teenage sex romp comedy is as ingrained in our movie culture as any other genre. There are great ones, disastrous ones, and fairly inconsequential ones as well--just like any other type of movie. From "Porky's" to the "American Pie" saga, there is just no denying that we are ready, willing, and able to laugh at a nation of sex obsessed young adults. In truth, "Wild Cherry" didn't appear very promising from its cover and its cast. And while it certainly isn't laugh out loud uproarious, it is actually better than you might anticipate (given the relative restrictions of the genre). It is told from the female vantage point, which sets it apart in an interesting way. Ostensibly a revenge comedy, it wants to be a romance as well. It aspires to be raunchy AND strives to maintain its sweetness. I think that this dichotomy of tones is what limits the more outrageous moments, but it also allows for better developed characters--some of who you might actually care about. The movie benefits tremendously with a likable leading actress Tania Raymonde (miles away from her LOST character). Silly when appropriate and surprisingly grounded with necessary, Raymonde might be one to watch. She fares considerably better than her best pals Rumer Willis and Kristin Cavallari. These virginal gals discover that a long held school myth about a notorious book is more than just a story. Every year, to maintain their winning streak, the football team must woo and bed all the pure maidens and check the conquests off in the book. Of course, our three leads are the last hold-outs and when they discover that the book is real--they plot some revenge scenarios. It's all pretty silly, especially as Raymonde is in a long term relationship with someone on the team. Cavallari parries with the team's most obnoxious member (Jesse Moss in a nice, if very broad, comic performance). Super offensive, the movie makes a case that even he deserves to have someone fall in love with him--despite his lack of redeeming characteristics. One wildly ridiculous bowl of punch provides the film's most ludicrous gross-out moment--but most of the film is surprisingly tame. It's all that sweetness and romance amongst the wacky shenanigans. Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the movie is that it stars Rob Schneider as Raymonde's father--desperate to hold on to a daughter who is growing up. I can't believe I'm saying it, but he is actually playing a character here (as opposed to playing yet another version of Rob Schneider) and provides, perhaps, the film's most understated role. That I wasn't expecting! Really, "Wild Cherry" is relatively harmless and easy to watch. It is exactly what it is and so you can't hold that against it. It is neither a remarkable example of the teen comedy or a particularly bad one. Chances are, aside from the punch scene--you probably won't have this one lingering in your mind after you watch it. Pleasant, but not very memorable. KGHarris, 6/11.