Sleepover (2004)

I didn't know what kind of film it was until I was in the middle of it, and couldn't get out :) I tried to tell my self that if I were a 13-14 year old girl, this film might hit someone. But the more i saw, the more that thought slipped away. As always in such American films it gets nauseous in the end. Bad acting, bad lines and bad script! Some of the reasons why it always goes wrong in such teen films, is because: 1. Its unrealistic (bad script) 2. Bad acting (very bad lines) 3. Bad casting

A 22-year-old (in reality, not in the film) is suppose to fall in love with a 14-year-old. The reason why he does so is because: she skateboards in front of him! (how lame is that! god damned, pull yourself together!) Later on the two of them kisses, which is just as predictable as anything else that happens in the movie (and grouse).

If a 13 or 14-year-old girl can get anything out of this film, I'm happy for her. But films like these causes problems in real life, because real life is so much different! Girls with too much self confident (and believe me, there are many of those) is the result of such films!

The worst thing is that it's from 2004, which really scares me! The next American director who wants to make a cute teen flick, must for all cost be stopped!

Absolutely among the top 5 worst film I've ever seen.

Fmovies: This movie is a complete load of "enchanting" unrealistic crap. I get a wild kick out of bad movies and this one takes the cake for 2004. First of all the fat girl who they had to name "Yancy" to match her unattractive character (Kallie Flynn Childress), is not featured on the cover of the box because somehow American 14 year old girls won't relate with other chubby girls? Plus, when they sneak into the club while fatty waits outside, she's approached by a sweet heavy set charmer who is working on a gig there that night. Clearly in order for him to work in a bar, he has to be at least 21, which is of course is a perfectly acceptable age to hit on a 14 YEAR OLD GIRL! And while Joe Nussbaum is advocating pedophilia, why not condone the high school senior to fall in like with Julie (Alexa Vega), before she even attends his school. I remember in MY high school, only the coolest and most popular guys would court girls 4 years younger than them, as apposed to dating attractive mature girls their own age. Why stop at middle school Steve Faris, when there is plenty of kindergarten girls with your head shot tacked above they're bed surrounded by glittered hearts? If you're ready to play your home version of Mystery Science Theater 3K I HIGHLY recommend "Sleepover".

Oh, dear. Oh, dear. I hardly know where to start.

Sleepover is a typical tween movie: girls go for sleepover, mean girls propose scavenger hunt, hijincks ensue, obligatory make-out scene, etc.

I am close to the 8-to-13-year-old age demographic to which this movie aspires, and even I find it boring and a waste of time. My little sister, who is 9 and who 'should' enjoy it, thinks it is boring and a waste of time. But I'm not here to tell you what my family thinks of it.

First off, there is some simply horrendous over-acting, especially by Sara Paxton (Staci). I would understand if this were a high school play, but this is a multimillion-dollar film. Alexa Vega (Julie), who was the movie's main selling point, has two facial expressions: Worried and Mildly Angry. Her best friend Hannah, played by Mika Boorem, is the only person who seemed to know how to show emotion. I know these are supposed to be good actors, but... they sure don't show it.

On top of that, the whole plot screamed 'CLICHE' and consisted of contrivance after contrivance. Most of the dialog was simply terrible ("Hey, what's up? Your face is so glad-looking!"). This is a relatively new director, but there is simply no excuse for things like this. Dialogue can be fixed with a Sharpie marker 10 minutes before a shoot. There is no excuse.

3/10.

Sleepover fmovies. Kids are running out of classrooms, shrieking and throwing papers in the air. A pop track pumps while the ubiquitous slow-mo panning camera follows the wannabes watching the popular girls strutting the corridor. That's right, school's out for summer in yet another John Hughes-inspired teen-flick.

You can loathe it, you can tolerate it, but I confess to a secret fondness of the genre. Although it's cluttered with ordinary films, this homogeneity is part of the unique comfort a teen comedy can offer. They're films to watch when you're sick, where bullies get their comeuppance, and moral codes are simpler than in an adult world. And kids enjoy them too.

Sleepover begins with Julie (Alexa Vega) inviting three friends for a slumber party to celebrate graduating from Junior High (Year 8). Of course, her former best friend Staci (Sara Paxton) can't come – she's a teen queen now. Sporting a superior blonde 'Farrah' reminiscent of nasty Caroline (Haviland Morris) in Hughes' Sixteen Candles (1984), you just know that Staci's a bitch with a heart of gold. She and her catty trio of 'Mean Girls' challenge Julie and her buddies to a scavenger hunt. The winners get the coveted lunch spot at high school next year – and the passport to popularity.

Julie, Hannah (Mika Boorem), Farrah (Scout Taylor-Compton) and Yancy (Kallie Flynn Childress) sneak out of the house, avoiding Julie's renovation-mad dad and bribing her slacker brother. They're aided by three irritating Ashton Kutchner-aspirational types, chased by a rent-a-cop and come to rely on a tiny electric car that needs constant recharging. Plus Julie has to steal her secret crush's boxer shorts. Producer Chuck Weinstock came up with the idea of Sleepover because his previous projects were too adult in content for his six and nine-year old children to watch. But there are some edgy aspects in Sleepover that wouldn't have been included in the 1980s teen films it pays homage to. For example, 14-year old Staci has to fend off sexual advances from her high school beau – a rarity for girls that age in Hollywood films, although possibly not in real life. And in a later scene Julie has to persuade her teacher to buy her a drink called "Sex on the Beach" at a nightclub to win the competition. Though these elements are ignored in the broader context of the film, and may be inappropriate, they certainly make Sleepover more interesting.

Although pleasant, Sleepover isn't one of the better examples of the genre. It's a disposable girly tween twist on Ferris Bueller's Day Off, but buoyed by Vega's strong screen presence. You know you shouldn't enjoy it, but you're probably going to. **½/***** stars.

So many movies nowadays either have young kids acting too old, or old people pretending to be young. Sleepover is just an above average teenie-bopper movie with some really fun moments and nice performances by a talented young cast. This target audience doesn't have a lot of movies to be proud of, but Sleepover can definitely be considered a fun one. All of the performances seemed on the money. Alex Vega (Julie) and Scout Taylor-Compton (Farrah) seemed to shine. There are a couple of very funny scenes from Steve Carell who plays an over-the-top security guard looking to break up the girl's fun. I commend director Joe Nussbaum for tackling a difficult genre and age group, and doing a commendable job with it. Don't rent it expecting anything deep, but it certainly is a good time.

I thought this movie was quite enjoyable. It's a bit like a female version of Ferris Bueller, without the destructive male testosterone (the worst thing the girls can expect if caught is not to be able to go on a trip to Hawaii with the family). Even though everything is predictable (the dorky guys who save the day ... more than once, the popular girl getting her comeuppance, the "fat" girl learning to love herself, etc.) you don't seem to mind because the characters are well-developed and so, well, likable. It's not going to challenge you to use your brain much, but for a few hours of fun, this isn't bad. Will appeal especially to pre-teen and teen girls.