I use to think that Can't Hardly Wait was a pretty good high school flick when it first came out. It stayed that way for a while. I haven't watched this in maybe 5 years, if that. Well, I gotta say that the cracks are there, more so now with time away from it. The plot is razor thin. It's hard to make the entire movie movie forward when it's basically in one location. But they do a decent job in this one. With what appears to be the entire graduating class at a house party, we are ask to follow Preston (Ethan Embry) as he works up the courage to talk to the girl of his dreams; Amanda (Jennifer Love Hewitt). Now if the movie was just about these two, it wouldn't work. So, having an ensemble cast works to their advantage because we get a few different arcs running at the same time.

The movie may be 'about' Preston and Amanda, but the most interesting...well the funniest story we are following involves Kenny (Seth Green) and Denise (Lauren Ambrose). Seth OWNS this movie given his ability to transform into a sad-sack white "gangsta" who's lyrical charm is sorely lacking. It's only when he is called out by Denise and forced to go back to being himself does he become likable and our interest jumps up a notch in will they or won't they end up together. Back to Amanda and Preston, I still get a kick out of the ending. It's what the entire movie is leading up to and it works. It's the ending that actually makes the movie better than it really is. Also, ya gotta love the song they use to frame the scene. Only You by Yazoo also was used in the BBC version of The Office in the exact same way, which also worked to great effect.

Pretty much the entire movie hinges on very familiar High School Genre Cliches. If it weren't for the diverse cast of characters, the movie really wouldn't have worked at all. Well, back then it worked. Like with all things, some age like fine wine, other's do not. I still like this movie, but it is far from perfect. Definitely worth a Rent for sure.