'The DUFF'

In cinemas February 20th in the USA and April 6th in the UK!

Based on the book by Kody Keplinger, when Bianca Piper (Mae Whitman) discovers she is her high school friends DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend), she decides to re invent herself with the help of her next door neighbour, the popular jock Wesley Rush (Robbie Amell). The two embark on a mission to change Bianca’s appearance and step out of the shadow of her label. So, it’s the same kind of high school teen comedy that has always had a bit of a hit and miss reputation depending on how well it connects with its audience.

The film really feels like two separate halves, the first feeling very awkward as you see the lead actors struggle to work out whether what they are doing is meant to be funny or serious. What comedy there is tends to fall on its arse harder than Madonna in a cape. The second half of the film becomes more of a romantic comedy with Disney-esque moral messages that feel like the writer was creating this on the spot and started apologising for what they had done earlier on in the film. By this time most of the characters have soliloquised about having not meant to call Bianca a DUFF in the first place. 

Mae Whitman (who is neither Ugly nor Fat) looks more than uncomfortable attempting to inject comedy into an issue that has been the cause of cyber bullying and teen suicide, I certainly felt uncomfortable for her. However, she is a very natural performer who gave quite a heartfelt performance, especially in the latter part of the movie. Also in some of the lighter moments with co star Robbie Amell in particular she really shines. These points feel like they stand on their own and were the only times I had a smile on my face, the on screen chemistry between the two was quite heartwarming to watch. 

Wesley Rush was, for a change, a three dimensional jock. Gone is the stereotypical air head who likes drinking till he’s sick and having sex with as many girls as possible. Robbie has excellent comic timing and was able to pull a snigger or two out of me during the film but it’s his more tender moments that really sell this character.

Apart from the uncomfortable way of approaching the issues of the film I felt the writing was, well, peculiar. This didn’t feel like it could connect to the age range it’s aimed for, a lot of references are outdated and the sloppy attempts to mention as many social networks as possible are quite cringe worthy!  It felt as though a man in his mid thirties who dreamt of being back in high school had found Kody’s book and attempted to turn it into a screenplay. 

If I were to put this into comparison with anything else I would say the film is trying to be a lot like the MTV series “Awkward” by Lauren Iungerich. Apart from Mae and Robbie’s performances, the film has very little in the way of presence and can drag at times. I doubt this particular teen flick will be up there with the greats that have reached cult status like ‘Heathers’, ‘Napoleon Dynamite’, ‘Bring It On’ and ‘Mean Girls’.

Review by Shane Goodsir.
See this review on The Fan Carpet.