Jawbreaker
by Darren Stein
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Chad Christ, Judy Greer, Julie Benz, Rebecca Gayheart, Rose McGowanDirector: Darren Stein
Brand: MCGOWAN,ROSE
Cinematographer: Amy Vincent
Writer: Darren Stein
Editor: Troy Takaki
Producer: Adam Silverman
Producer: Lisa Tornell
Producer: Stacy Kramer
Producer: Thom Colwell
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround; English (Subtitled)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Full Screen, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 87 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-01-01
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Movie Reviews of Jawbreaker
Movie Review: A highly entertaining dark comedy
Summary: 5 Stars
I can understand why some people don't particularly like this movie, but I enjoyed it immensely. Of course, I enjoy anything featuring Rose McGowan, but the movie itself is actually a lot of fun. If you tend to take movies seriously and have trouble suspending your disbelief, this movie isn't for you, and a short description of the movie should easily convince you to take your cinematic interests elsewhere. I happen to like over the top movies about high school life, and Jawbreaker takes the stratification of high school society, something we are all acquainted with in one form or another, and runs with it. Rose McGowan plays Courtney Shane, considered by some to be "Satan-in-heels." She is your ultimate clique queen, operating the controls of high school popularity and approachability with the help of faithful and reliable henchbabe Marcie Fox (Julie Benz) and two goody-goodies who somehow manage to stay cool despite hobnobbing with their social inferiors from time to time. Rebecca Gayheart (who finds herself in the odd situation of being rather invisible whenever McGowan shares the screen with her) plays Julie Freedman, and she is in fact complicit in the unusual death of Elizabeth Purr, sweet little angel and fourth member of the ruling babes of Reagan High School. Courtney, Marcie, and Julie celebrate Liz's 17th birthday by disguising themselves, sneaking into her room, tying her up and gagging her, throwing her into the trunk of their car, and eventually releasing her to enjoy the hilarity of their innocent little prank. Wouldn't you know it, something goes awry. The insanely large jawbreaker that Courtney stuffs in her mouth before taping it closed manages to work its way down Liz's throat. With their friend dead, the three girls must take action quickly to avoid detection; Courtney is a natural at evil plotting and quickly enacts a plan. Unfortunately, class geek Fern Mayo happens along and overhears the big secret, prompting Courtney to take drastic action; in return for Fern's silence, she will transform Fern into the beautiful, popular girl she has always wanted to be. Julie wants no part of it, but her own guilt and complicity leads her to do little more than go schoolmarm and reject her evil friends. This movie does raise issues about high school life, but it does not attempt to make some meaningful statement . The common stereotypes are presented but not dwelt on. Those who would not understand how nice, sweet Fern could be enticed into going over to the dark side were obviously not among the nerds and geeks of their own graduating class. Even though Courtney was hated as much as she was loved, the vast majority of her peers wanted to be like her, immensely popular, beautiful, intimidating, and awe-inspiring. Sure, she is selfish, evil, and uncaring, but that's part of her charm. I personally prefer her to Julie, who pretends to be something she is not and blames Courtney alone for an act she herself played a large part in.
Don't even try to think about this movie; you're not supposed to learn anything here. This is entertainment and nothing more, and I for one was greatly entertained. The ending leaves a little something to be desired, but all in all this is a marvelous dark comedy. Rose McGowan makes this movie cool all by herself, but the kicking soundtrack is more than ready to assist in this endeavor whenever called upon, which is quite often. The music is almost a character in and of itself, beautifully assisting in the creation of whatever atmosphere is required for each scene, and its incessant energy never allows for a moment of drag as the story works itself out. There is quite a bit of profanity in the script, and it is this much more than Rose McGowan's all-too-brief yet sizzling nude scene that earns this one its R rating. I seem to take delight in praising movies of this type, and I take great delight in praising this one. Jawbreakers is a very entertaining dark comedy.
Summary of Jawbreaker
The \soc" queens of a high school accidentally kill one of their friends and attempt to cover it up.Genre: Feature Film-Comedy
Rating: R
Release Date: 23-MAR-2004
Media Type: DVD"""
Rose McGowan vamps it up mercilessly as the "Satan in heels," a teenage-bitch queen whose birthday prank gone terminally wrong leaves her best friend dead, choked to death on a jawbreaker the size of a fist. Rebecca Gayheart, with her sparkling eyes and a smile that could melt an iceberg, is the good girl at heart who becomes a social pariah when she drops out of the group, trading her plunging necklines for librarian-lite sweaters and long skirts. Jawbreaker wants nothing less than to be the Heathers of its generation, but only intermittently hits the mark, such as when McGowan turns a mousy nobody into the next big thing, a slutty tease whose craving for attention soon challenges McGowan's supremacy. "She's evil," someone finally realizes, "and she's only in high school!" That's unfortunately the best Darren Stein's film gets. For all its catty talk and surface glamour, it's a flat, broadly directed satire that never lives up to its evocative title. Features an appearance by teen rock punks the Donnas as the prom band. --Sean Axmaker
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