(Photo courtesy of CBS Films)Released on Feb. 20, "The DUFF" is brilliantly funny, perfectly casted and easily this year's "Mean Girls."
When high school senior Bianca (Mae Whitman) realizes she’s the Designated Ugly Fat Friend, or DUFF, in her group, she decides to make a change and enlists the help of her popular childhood buddy, Wesley (Robbie Amell).
Wesley gives Bianca lessons on how she should dress, what to do on dates and how to avoid getting “DUFFed.” In return, Bianca helps Wesley pass chemistry so he can get a football scholarship. What starts out as a business deal turns into a close bond between the two of them.
Meanwhile, Bianca is busy dodging the attacks of the school’s mean girl, Madison (Bella Thorne), and writing for her high school newspaper, under her crazy adviser Mr. Arthur (Ken Jeong).
Amell never fails to be the classic heartthrob with his beaming white smile and charm. Thorne, famous for her kind, clumsy character on the Disney Channel's “Shake It Up,” makes an extremely convincing high school bully.
Jeong, famous for his portrayal of Mr. Chow in “The Hangover,” is very believable in a serious role as a quirky high school teacher who wants his students to succeed, while still using his outlandish humor. He helps Bianca step out of her comfort zone with a homecoming article that leads to a happy ending.
For a high school movie with the typical bully-meets-loser dynamic, the film is surprisingly non-cliché. While you may have seen the popular guy fall for the invisible, nerdy girl before, the filmmakers have added elements that make the movie more hilarious and unique.
Part of what makes the movie so good is that the classic storyline of high school cliques and drama has been updated for modern students. It portrays how viral videos and cyber-bullying can affect teenagers and how fast rumors can travel with the help of technology.
To top it all off, Whitman portrays her weird, zombie-watching, outcast character perfectly. Her playful, quirky acting is the icing on the cake.
“The DUFF” has characters to whom almost everyone can relate and fall in love and will have viewers laughing until they cry.
While no movie can ever really replace “Mean Girls,” this film is right up there with it and will likely be another film that girls watch repeatedly with their friends and maybe even quote incessantly. One thing’s for sure: This won’t be a movie you only see once.
Reach the reporter at bridget.dowd@asu.edu or follow @bridgetbernice on Twitter.
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