Review of Sleepover

Introduction

So here`s yet another one of those teen pleasing chick-flicks that do such good box-office and great DVD sales. Hot on the heels of `A Cinderella Story` and the Olsen twins `New York Minute`, this has all the right ingredients to please that market and keep the cash tills ringing in Woolies up and down the country.

`Sleepover` is, predictably enough, all about a sleepover, where four girls (aged around the 14 mark) get together for a night of adventure and love!

The `popular girls` challenge the sleepover girls to a so-called `scavenger hunt` - with the prize officially being allowed to sit at the best place for lunch (as opposed to next to the garbage skip), though we all know that the stakes are far greater! The real prize, of course, is winning over the cutest guy at the dance, as well as becoming the coolest belles at the ball.

The group is led by sleepover host Julie (Alexa Vega - Spy Kids), and they embark on a series of mishaps and mis-adventures that defy the mother`s golden sleepover rule - `never leave the house`.

The madcap tasks that make up the scavenger hunt are tailored for much hilarity and include the acquisition of a pair of the stunningly good-looking skateboarder `s undergarments. (Whilst this could have ended up erring on the sleazy side, it doesn`t seem so here).
We also get to see (amongst a stream of other japes) Julie set up a cyber-date with a mystery man who turns out to be her principal. Slightly dodgy territory, although again, it doesn`t seem so here.

Perhaps the highlight of the movie is the scene where Julie and friends arrive at a nightclub to find that her mother is also there, grooving to the music and letting it all hang out. That`s about as much embarrassment as any teen can take, though subversively it was the only scene that gave me any sense of pleasure!

Naturally, all ends well. (I don`t count this as a `spoiler` as you knew it would anyhow). Slightly uncool teen girl gets drop-dead gorgeous boy, as well as the respect of all her friends and teachers. She also gets the ultimate satisfaction of seeing the bitchy `popular girls` get their come-uppance. All right and proper too!

Video

A very nice 1.83:1 anamorphic wide-screen transfer, though it looks so shiny and sanitised that you could argue it lacks character. According to the annoying audio commentary, many exteriors were shot at Universal Studios (yes- the bit that`s open to the public) so it has a sort of ultra-neat, sanitised look, reflected in the flawless digital transfer.

Audio

This comes with a fairly impressive Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack that makes much of the peripheral (off-camera) sound effects, and kicks in whenever the music does. Shiny, crisp and crystal clear!

Features

Audio Commentary - which has Director Joe Nussbaum in conversation with the irritatingly nasal foursome that head up the adolescent cast. `It was like Whoa! And I was like Wahay…and he was like…whoa!` ad nauseum. Take out charity sponsorship before embarking on this marathon irritation!

"A Guide to the Perfect Sleepover" (11 mins.) - This is just another of those irritating `making-of`s` that use talking head interviews where everybody loved working with everybody. We learn about some of the hilarious antics on set (yawn!) as well as a modest amount of movie-making how-do. Dull as dishwater.

"Ready, Set, Action!" (1 min.) is a superfluous collection of publicity outings for the four principals, including photo-sessions and PA`s. Who the hell is this for? Even more dull than the `Making of…`.

"Sleepover Confessions" (3 mins.) shows cast and crew reminiscing on their own `sleepover experiences`. A lot of talk of midnight feasts, sneaking out the house, and staying up late. Perhaps the most nauseating of these are the casts recollections of their own `sleepover sleepover` where they all stayed at the Universal Studios house hotel.

`Meet the Girls` is a feature where you can click on a picture of any of the four girls (Scout, Kallie, Mika and Vega) and hear yet more ramblings by them and about them with production cutaways.

`Gag Reel` - a blooper-thon. Funny if you like to see actors screw up their lines.

`Behind the Scenes Photo-Gallery` - candid snaps should you want `em.

Trailer reel - This and other movies targeted at the demographic.

Conclusion

`Sleepover` is another in that string of teen-movie chick flicks with all the right ingredients. Fairly average looking girl, drop dead gorgeous boy, a mother that `doesn`t understand` (to begin with) and a group of bitchy girls giving her a hard-time that are going to get their just desserts.

Sadly though, it has none of the sparkle or imagination of similar movies like `13 going on 30` (redeemed by the inclusion of an actual` idea`) or `Mean Girls`. Instead, it`s an unimaginative re-treading of a well-worn path of formulaic cliché`s. It also tries to provide some sort of substantive moral message amongst its light froth, but fails miserably by frankly just misfiring. (Check out the toe-curling comments by Julie as she sees two mega-fat teens engage in a slow-dance… "Somebody for everybody". In the meantime, she`s aiming to get her claws into the prettiest boy in town. Yuk! )

Strangely, this came and went on the cinema circuit virtually unnoticed last year and maybe word got out that this pales in comparison to many others of the same genre.

I`d like to say that my 13-year-old daughter and her friends were discerning enough to recognise this movie for the vacuous and cheesy cash-in it clearly is. But they didn`t. They watched it twice over in relatively quick succession and will probably do so again. `Brilliant!` is one of the comments they gave. Which shows how much I know.

I`m not in the target demographic here - but if you are, then you might enjoy this every bit as much as my daughter. For the rest of you though, give it a wide berth. Ugh!