Hollywood Reviews and Movie Trivia

John Tucker Must Die", directed by Betty Thomas, aims right the Junior High/High School niche group and scores a C...

Since coming to fame as an actress in the TV series "Hill Street Blues" in the late 80's, Betty Thomas has firmly established her career as a director. Her projects include "Howard Stern's Private Parts" (97'), "Dr. Doolittle" (98'), "28 Days" (2000), and "I Spy" (2002).

In this story, John Tucker (Jesse Metcalfe from TV's "Desperate Housewives") is the man about campus in high school. He's the basketball team's hot shot. All the guys want to be him, all the girls want to do him, and he want to do all the girls! And, that's what gets him into trouble, because he tries to!

Three girls have eyes for Tucker. Heather (singer Ashanti) is the basketball team's lead cheerleader and feels she simply belongs with Tucker because they've both at the top of their game. Beth (Sophia Bush) is the studious one who's on her way to an Ivy League college and feels a balance to Tucker is what he needs and of course, Tucker agrees whole heartedly. Carrie is the coolest of the school's "in-crowd" and Tucker is above, the essence of cool, a perfect match. And of course, Tucker is dating all three girls at the same time!

Kate (Brittany Snow) has moved to the area with her mom (Jenny McCarthy) who has dating issues of her own being a single mom. Kate is a little shy and not the in-crowd type at her new school. Kate accidentally discovers that the man about campus is actually 'a wolf in sheep's clothing'. He's three timing the other girls! Eventually the three girls find out and declare war on each other. Kate makes them see how ridiculous it is for them to be fighting each other when the real target should be John Tucker! The girls, with Kate's help, decide that Tucker is going down! Various smaller plans are put into motion that are designed to humiliate, embarrass, and set Tucker up for the big fall! With Kate as the ultimate weapon, and the deliverer of the final blow: to break John Tucker's heart!

The situations are funny as the girls work their plans, and yes, the underlying message of truth and honesty in relationships is persistent throughout the movie. Yes, it's a bit heavy handed in its delivery, and the ending is a bit predictable. All in all, it has some funny moments, the actors are convincing, and it does get the message across, honesty just might be the best policy, especially if you're John Tucker...

Grade: C