I Love You, Beth Cooper

Really? This is the movie that critics and bloggers alike are choosing to dump all over? I understood a lot of the hate around Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen because it was a movie for the fans, not for the critics, and besides, everyone knows that it’s cool to hate Michael Bay. I disagreed with them, but I understood. Now, some of the same people who said that Wolverine was good, or “the best X-Men film yet”, when it was nothing more than lazy and stupid filmmaking, are absolutely crushing I Love You, Beth Cooper. I’m not saying it was great, or even good, but come on. It doesn’t take any balls to criticize a movie like this. Be a man and call out Bruno for being garbage. There is absolutely no reason that ILYBC should at an 8% on the Tomatometer while that flamboyant Austrian is certified fresh with 69%, especially when ILYBC does a much better job of addressing issues and life than Bruno ever thought of.

I haven’t read the book on which this movie is based, but, assuming no major plot elements have been changed, I could see this whole thing playing out much better on the page than on the screen. I’m really divided when it comes to the subject of whether or not author’s should adapt his/her own work to the screen. They should definitely have a hand in the process, since they understand the source material better than anyone, but at the same time, there needs to be a collaboration with a screen writer who can weigh in on what might or might not work on the big screen. Chris Columbus should have taken the approach of making this movie more of an homage to 80’s teen adventures, rather than trying to make it an 80’s teen adventures. That’s the biggest problem. Things that worked back in the day usually don’t translate well they’re replicated in the present. You can never recreate the atmosphere of that time and the mindset of the audiences.

I really think that this movie was three cast/crew changes away from being a hit movie. The first to be replaced would be Columbus. The movie needed a different tone, something other than Columbus trying to recapture the feel ofAdventures in Babysitting. I know I tend to tie everything back to Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but I’d like to suggest Nicholas Stoller as the replacement director. His ability to combine ridiculous comedic situations with character moments and themes would really suit this movie.

The second and third replacements are the two leads, Paul Rust and Hayden Panties (yes, I’m aware that’s not her real name, but it’s close, I don’t want to look up the spelling). Starting with Rust, there were moments where he is both nerdy and pathetic and it works, but a lot of the time he’s too over the top and seems to be channeling Michael Cera. He does do a great job at creating an awkward tension both during his big speech and at the start of party, to the point that I was almost getting squeamish, but there are other actors who could do this just as well, if not better. I know this is superficial, but he’s too unconventional looking to be the star of a film and for us to believe that Beth Cooper would even give him the time of day. As Beth, Panties is really hot and cold. There are times when she looks the part and conveys an over-the-top, party girl nature that is hiding a quiet vulnerability. Other times, she looks like a porno midget while displaying the depth of a puddle of water. In a lot of instances, this is the writing, but even at her best, she’s just not right for the part. Beth Cooper should have been someone completely unattainable, and Panties, despite being cute, never shows lives up the hype surronding her character.

Ok, so it may sound like I’m doing my fair share of dumping on this movie, but I’m explaining why it’s an ok movie, rather than a good movie. As is, there are some things in ILYBC that really work. The first is Jack Carpenter as Rust’s possibly gay, movie quoting best friend. He is the one consistently funny character in the movie. It’s also nice to see Alan Ruck on the big screen again as Rust’s dad. He’s not in the movie much, but has the stereotypical high school dad down pat, and Cynthia Stevenson is equally good as the mom.

Where the movie really worked for me was the way it addressed its universal themes. The ideas of not regretting anything, knowing it’s ok to let loose and have fun sometimes, where people go after high school, your expectations of others, and dealing with people’s expectations of you are all addressed in ways that despite being a bit too on the nose at times, really worked for me. I believe that it’s the dealing with these themes make people fans of the book. There is one line Rust delivers after leaving the convenient store that has a resounding effect. It’s only four words, but it conveys an entire theme perfectly. There’s also the whole idea of unrequited love that is also universal. Everyone’s had or has a Beth Cooper (or a Ben Cooper for all my non-lesbian female readers) in their lives so it is easy to connect to Rust as he deals with Beth. I will say that as well as this movie dealt with its themes, there is a huge missed opportunity at the end, that doesn’t quite undermine the tone, it definitely dampens the effect the ending could have had.

So, in conclusion, I’m sorry, but I don’t love you Beth Cooper. I would certainly be friends with you though. You’re a little sloppy and messy at times and you don’t always know what you want to be. You’re over the top and out of control a lot, even when you don’t need to be, but you’re hearts in the right place. You’re not as funny as you think you are, but you have your moments. The main reason that I want to hang out with you is because you have some interesting things to say about life and growing up, even if you don’t always say them in the best way.