Get Over It film review

certificate_12

GET OVER IT

With so much teen angst on our televisions, teen-oriented films need to try something a little different to get the audience's attention. In recent months, toilet humour has been de rigueur. Thankfully, Get Over It tries something a little more sophisticated, although it doesn't quite succeed.

High school student Berke (Foster) is devastated when his pretty girlfriend Allison (Sagemiller) dumps him to start dating slimeball Bentley (West). Determined to win his girl back - despite her total lack of interest in him - Berke signs up for the school play, a musical version of A Midsummer Night's Dream, in which Allison has one of the lead roles.

Aided by Allison's enterprising sister Kelly (Dunst), Berke secures himself a speaking role in the production. Little does he realise that Kelly is completely smitten with him.

Although you can predict almost every twist and turn, writer R Lee Fleming Jr spices up proceedings with some amusing dream sequences and 70s-themed musical numbers. The funked up version of the Bard, A Midsummer Night's Rockin' Eve, is also a nice touch.

Dunst delivers another luminous performance, outshining the rest of the cast, particularly young Foster in his first lead role. He's adept at the slapstick comedy but doesn't really connect with Dunst, depriving the film of its emotional heart.

Supporting performances are somewhat hit and miss, from Martin Short's drama teacher and West's pantomime villain love rival, to Swoosie Kurtz and Ed Begley Jr's scene-stealing turns as Berke's hip parents.

Cinematic candyfloss that should go down well with the target teen audience.