Ahhh—-Summer. What a time for movies. Shakespeare, war documentaries, Hasidic Jewish family affairs—–and this one, The To Do List. One thing you cannot say is that I’ve not enjoyed an eclectic blend of films the past month!
The To Do List is a raunchy but endearing movie told, surprisingly, from the point of view of the young high school graduating *female* seeking sexual experience. It’s also genuinely, superbly funny, embarrassing, indiscreet and even, among all of that, somewhat touching. The cast works perfectly together—from the too-studly Rusty Waters (that name alone deserves a giggle) to the nervous (even if too outspoken) father to the too-sweet study-buddy/crush.
Set in the early 90s, the movie takes us 40-somethings down a lane of memories of our youth some twenty-plus years ago…..of summer jobs, of awkward teen-age boys, of unsupervised house parties, of some bad (and some good) music, and yes, even of crying during Beaches on VHS. (I feel compelled to say, though, that we did *not* show our bra straps with halter-esque tops back then. Tsk, Tsk, costume designers! (who otherwise did a spot-on job))
The twist of story-by-teenage-girl is refreshing even if in parts it seems perhaps less-than-completely-plaus
No, I don’t foresee The To Do List on my Oscar watch list at the end of the year, but it was a delightfully fun, laugh-out-loud relief from the heat and rain of a Florida summer afternoon.
(As a side note, this movie is *not* appropriate for youngsters, as it more than earns its R rating. In the theater where my movie companion and I saw the film, a woman our age was there with two younger male children we guessed to be about 11. Egads. This R-Rated film included not just a lot of language and sexual innuendos, but it contains multiple explicit scenes (no nudity, but there’s no doubt what’s going on) and blatant descriptive words that I have no doubt those two young boys have already Googled. (Shoot—I had to Google one or two of ‘em.) Given their age too, I am willing to bet the barely-out-of grade school lads followed up those Internet searches with exclamations of “Ewww, Gross!” and fits of giggles. Then again, she has the right to raise those boys as she likes—-or something like that.)