GET OVER IT

US, 2001, 86 minutes, Colour.
Kirsten Dunst, Ben Foster, Swoozie Kurtz, Ed Begley Jnr.
Directed by Tom O'Haver.

A high school movie where the insignificant hero has been living with the girl of his dreams who them dumps him (of course, for the smuggest, most egotistical pain on campus). What he doesn't realise is that the girl who he should be really dreaming about and who helps him out on his desperate quest to win back his girl loves him.

Plot-wise it is fairly predictable. It is the unpredictable treatment that makes this of more interest than most.

First, Ed Begley Jr and Swoozie Kurtz play our hero's parents. They host a TV show on sexual relationships and are so open-minded that they are not phased by anything their son does. On the contrary, everything is affirmed and becomes a positive learning experience. Second, there is Martin Short as a self-absorbed, would-be composer and director who is putting on his own musical version of A Midsummer Night's Dream. The screenplay is indebted to Shakespeare for quite a few lines, but not for Short's attempts at a Baz Luhrmann musical Shakespeare. Third, there is Kirsten Dunst as the nice girl, just as she was in Bring it On and Crazy/Beautiful.

1. Entertaining youth comedy? School, relationships, love, parents, rivalries?

2. The town setting, homes, the school, a realistic atmosphere?

3. The musical score and the range of songs, the opening song and its being dramatised by Vitamin C? The songs in The Midsummer Night's Dream and the banal lyrics? Kelly's song and the success of the play? The grand finale with the songs and dances?

4. The title and its reference to Berk? His being lovelorn with Alison, doing everything for her, the ultimate disillusionment, friendship with Kelly, transformation into love for Kelly?

5. The background of Midsummer Night's Dream: the plot being a variation on the Shakespeare play? The school putting on the play? The Shakespeare text? The humorous references to Shakespeare and his writing? The teacher and his composing the original songs using Shakespeare, modernising, making it banal? The performance of the play? The fantasies and the using of the play's settings, costumes, characters especially the fairies flying in and out and sprinkling dust? The grand finale? Berk and his eyes finally being opened?

6. The fantasy touches the dreams, the imagination, the teacher and his visualising his fears and successes?

7. The narration by Berk: his infatuation with Alison when they were children, meeting her again, the relationship, the breaking up? His love, his disappointment? His playing in the basketball and Felix and Denis as his friends? The coach? His friendship with Kelly, Felix's supervision? The decision about the play, the audition and his singing, Kelly helping him? His getting a part? The rehearsals? His relationship with his parents, their television show, their being ultimately affirming, never criticising, placing absolute trust in him no matter what: the break up, being caught in the sex club, the party in the house and the destruction of the house? The growing friendship with Kelly and her coaching him? The villain and his clashes with Berk, the rivalry with Alison, Berk's catching him at the party? His being suggested as Lysander? The rehearsals, the performance and their clashes? The song by Kelly and Berk opening his eyes, realising his love for her? Saying goodbye to Alison, the happy ending?

8. Kelly, her vigour and attractiveness, supporting of Berk, the friendship, coaching him, the dance, the songs, the acting? Their discussions and her listening to him? His not realising that she loved him? The kiss, Felix's reaction? The audition and her success, the teacher picking on her? Wanting to include her song? Substituting it, singing it, opening Berk's eyes? The happy ending?

9. Alison, relationship with Berk, the break up, her friends, school, attracted towards the singer from England, their romance, his misbehaving at the party, her disillusionment, going back to Berk, the final rejection? Her performance as Hermia in the play?

10. Felix and Denis, their friendship, Felix protective of his sister? His organising the party in Berk's home? Denis and his support? Going into the play, song and dance? Felix substituting the music?

11. The various people in the school: the boys, the girls, basketball, dining hall, auditions, rehearsals for the play, the performance of the play?

12. The performance, the songs, the acting, the audience applause, the two with the special effects and the villain bribing them, his suffering from the explosion?

13. The teacher and Martin Short's comic style, his vanity, putting people down, his fears and his imaginings, composing the songs, the rehearsals? The performance and his fears, his happiness?

14. The parody of the trusting parents: on television, their sex advice, perfectly understanding of their son, no matter what he did, cleaning up the house after the party, romantically enjoying the play?

15. The popularity of this kind of youth and high school film? Themes of relationships, self image? The use of Shakespeare as background?