This movie drove me crazy

Drive Me Crazy
Director: John Schultz
Cast: Melissa Joan Hart, Adrian Grenier, Ali Larter
Released: October 1, 1999

Yes, that pun was intended.

This movie is really bad. In fact, I'm trying to determine which is worse: this one or She's All That. At least the latter had better actors (Freddie Prinze Jr. notwithstanding) and while the plot was stupid, it at least made more sense than the plot of this movie, but I'll try my best to explain it.

Nicole (Hart) and Chase (Grenier) are next door neighbors. They used to be best friends when they were younger, but now they want nothing to do with each other because they fell into different groups during middle school (or, "junior high" as Nicole said. Good Lord, movie, nobody calls it "junior high" anymore!) She's part of the popular, school spirit crowd (hmm, wonder if she's going to make everybody sign her yearbook?) and he's the rebel who's too cool for school and hangs out with the other outcasts.

Don't worry, Ali, "Heroes" is only seven
years away!

There's a big dance coming up and Nicole is in charge of putting it together. She thinks her crush is going to ask her out, but he ends up asking another girl and now she risks the humiliation of attending the dance alone. Meanwhile, Chase's girlfriend has broken up with him and he wants to get her back. She's played by Ali Larter who is usually attractive, but they made her really ugly in this film. They gave her this awful dyed red hair and she wears this awful lipstick that clashes with her hair. Ugh, just ugh! (And speaking of superficial bickering, what is up with MJH's eye? One of them is significantly smaller than the other. I grew up watching Clarissa Explains it All and Sabrina the Teenage Witch and I never remember her eyes being so noticeably wonky.)

Nicole proposes an idea to Chase: that he take her to the dance so she'll have someone to go with, but he has to date her for a few weeks before so it doesn't look like he's only just taking her to the dance. Chase agrees with this because he thinks it will make Ali jealous and she'll want him back. Or something. I don't know. Honestly, there were a few minutes of the movie I missed because watching my cat playing with his catnip toy was much more entertaining than this dreck.

Obviously, as you can imagine, they both decide they like each other at the end of the movie. Wow. I didn't see that coming! In a weird turn of events, it turns out that Nicole's mom and Chase's dad (her parents are divorced and his mom died) tell them that they're moving in together. HUH? When did that happen? I don't remember their parents starting to date. This must have happened when I was paying more attention to Milo doing some crazy acrobats across my floor. Do Nicole and Chase object to this weird and awkward reveal? Oh, no, they handle the news with great big smiles on their faces. Um, hello, you two want to date/have started dating and now your parents tell you they're moving in together? You're technically stepsiblings now! This is the third teen movie now that has dealt with stepsibling incest. It is not cute when stepsiblings date! It is creepy and icky!

Time for the checklist:

Is there a party scene? Yes

Is there a prom scene? It's not the prom, but there is a dance scene

Is there a football scene? No, but there is a basketball game

Is there a make over scene? Yes, Nicole makes over Chase to make him appear more with the in crowd. First of all, he looked better before, and second of all, I would be pissed if somebody tried to get me to change my hair and wardrobe especially if I didn't need to. 

Is there a scene where all the different high school cliques are being shown? No

Was this movie spoofed in Not Another Teen Movie? No. Wow, even this movie wasn't worthy of getting spoofed in that one. 

Do I own the soundtrack/favorite song - I do. I bought it because I love the Britney song so much. The one on her CD is different from the one on the soundtrack which has the "Stop" remix which I like better than the original version. I also like the cover of "Keep on Loving You" by the Donnas.

Darkest scene - Not too many, but there is one scene when some drunk frat boy starts getting frisky with his girlfriend and starts beating up a kid who comes to her defense. 

Favorite line - Nothing stands out.

Favorite character - Chase, but only because he's cute.

Favorite scene - Nicole and Chase singing "Keep on Loving You" in the car. I doubt you would ever see teenagers nowadays singing to REO Speedwagon!

Hey, it's the '90s! -  A couple of references to the X-Files are made. 

Why the class of 1999 is the most awesome graduation class:

1. Many teen/high school movies came out in 1999.

2. The song that told people to "party like it's 1999."

3.  Buffy Summers is an alum from the class of '99.

4. Bella Swan is not a graduate from the class of '99.

5. One of my favorite songs, "You Get What You Give" by the New Radicals came out my senior year (though technically it was released in late '98).