Some people say that surviving in high school is like surviving in the jungle, at least that’s what Marni (Kristin Bell) thinks. Being a loner with a face full of pimples, bad hair and large black rimed seeing glasses that covers half her face, drops her popularity level below the below average mark. Well, she is popular in one way and that’s being the victim of the beautiful cheerleader bully, Joanna (Odette Yustman). From public humiliations to aggressive attacks, Joanna makes high school the worst era of Marni’s life. Graduation day comes and Marni decides to turn her life around for the better, she moves away and becomes an associate at a successful public relations company. She soon discovers that her brother is getting married in a couple days, so she flies home to attend the wedding. As she walks through her kitchen door to meet the fiancé for the first time, Joanna turns around and Marni nearly swallows her tongue. Will Marni seek revenge for four years of torment? Will Joanna finish where she left off in high school? Will Marni stop her brother from marrying Joanna?
Review:
This film is completely predictable from the trailer to the screening, yet I found it to be adorable. I’m sure many people can relate to Kristin’s character of being punished by the popular crowd for being an outcast. I liked that each character has two stories, one is the story they want others to see and the other is a hidden story locked away for all eternity. For instance, Joanna appears to be completely innocent with her career in nursing and helping others but her fiancé doesn’t know that she used to bully his sister-another dark secret will unfold with Joanna later in the movie. Marni, newly successful VP of Public Relations, hides her not so proud high school years as a ‘loser’ from others. Marni’s mother, Gail, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Joanna’s aunt, Ramona, Sigourney Weaver, (who also went to high school together) has their secrets too, and they come out during a special event. The jokes weren’t ‘hold my stomach’ funny but they were entertaining to watch. Side note, between Sigourney and Jamie, I believe Jamie is more attractive, even more that Kristin and Odette. All in all, I will watch this film again.