Directed by Gil Junger
Staring Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gorden-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, David Krumholtz and Andrew Keegan
Released in 1999

As a Shakespeare fan I tend to avoid modern day remakes of his plays, unless it’s got Branagh stamped all over it. This one I missed for a few years but when there’s nothing else on at eight in the morning and you really don’t want to be sitting in front of the computer yet or there’s no book handy (perish the thought), you make do. That or you watch the news. But I’m glad I sat down and watched this one.

10 Things is a nice update to The Taming of the Shrew and modernizes the characters enough to make it interesting for people who don’t recognize the Shakespeare hook. The chemistry between the main cast, be they laughing or fighting, helps make the story more believable. It’s a great deal of fun to see the antics that Ledger and Gorden-Levitt go through to get their respective love-interests.

So what’s it all about? If you’re lucky enough to have read Shrew you have a good idea…

10 Things is about a pair of sisters and their prospective love interests. Bianca Stratford (Oleynik) wants to enjoy her life in high school, date, party and have fun. Older sister Kat Stratford (Stiles) had a taste of the high school high life and prefers to do and be herself instead of being molded into the expected. In order for Bianca to date, Kat must date and Kat isn’t biting.

This is where the boys come in. Joey (Keegan) and Cameron (Gorden-Levitt) are both interested in Bianca and will do anything to get her on a date. Cameron and friend Michael (Krumholtz) enlist Joey’s assistance to set Kat up with the wild boy felon Patrick (Ledger). Being paid for per date, Patrick sets off to woo shrewish Kat so the boys can her sister.

Admittedly I had a lot more fun with Krumholtz’s Michael, the man has the wisdom tempered humor to help everyone out in the end, even himself. There are a lot of nods to Shakespeare fans in the movie, but to top it all off there’s a kick-ass soundtrack.

Look for Allison Janney in a witty cameo role as the school counselor.

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