BARELY LETHAL
US, 2015, 96 minutes, Colour.
Hailee Steinfeld, Samuel L.Jackson, Thomas Mann, Jessica Alba, Sophie Turner, Dove Cameron, Rachael Harris, Jason Ian Drucker, Gabriel Basso,
Directed by Kyle Newman.
Barely Lethal begins as a very junior version of The Hunger Games or Divergent. It then turns into a variation of Mean Girls. Nothing apocalyptic here, well not quite!
Samuel L.Jackson runs a training school for girl assassins, starting them out with all kinds of exercises when they are very little, their growing up into teenage and going out on missions, getting information for the government, eliminating opposition. Hailee Steinfeld, Number 83, finds it difficult to be detached emotionally from victims and, when on a mission to capture renegade assassin turned arms dealer, Jessica Alba, she is presumed dead and decides to catch up on what she is missing, her childhood, finding an advertisement for an exchange program as well as a family to live with. And she watches Mean Girls twice.
The high school story is as expected, Megan, as she is now called instead of Number 83, is teased but is supported by a young student who is a composer and on whom she gets a crush. In the meantime, the student in charge of lighting and IT, Thomas Mann, is attracted to her but he has a very dominating father and tends to step back. He defends Megan and she likes him very much – of course, having to make a decision at the end between the rather self-centred musician and the devoted Mann. In the meantime, things are difficult at school, she takes her cue from Mean Girls in suspicions of the cheerleaders and other groups. At home, while the mother and Ninja-oriented younger brother are supportive, the daughter of the house is resentful – although, under influence of truth serum, Megan tells the truth to the girl who then becomes her best friend.
Samuel L. Jackson tries to recover Megan, sending a jealous rival, number 84, and finally Jessica Alba confronting her with fights.
This is one for a teenage female audience, interest in the characters, perhaps some role modelling.
1. A mixture of espionage training, fights and high school life?
2. The Prescott Institute, the teachers, the exercises, the little girls, growing up, the intention of their being detached? Number 83, growing up, her attachment and emotions? Her going on missions, getting information, captures, but noticing more to teenage life and her wanting to recover a childhood? The mission to capture Victorian York, her skills, the capture, the helicopter, Victoria cutting her off, in the river, presumed dead, taking the chance for new life?
3. The American town, the family home, the high school, assemblies, laboratories, meal areas, the band, the Homecoming dance… The usual ingredients?
4. Number 83 becoming Megan, optimistic, relying on information and Mean Girls, watching it twice? In the family, the room, the posters, her dress for school, Elizabeth rebuking her, the introduction on the stage, ridiculing her, the musician and his song and her being accepted? In class, sitting next to Cash, in the laboratory with Roger, the meeting with Roger, his being in the background, the lighting, helpful to her, liking her? Her audition for the sports, the teacher not even looking, her being disguised as the bear, the neighbouring students attacking, her martial arts, on the Internet, everybody acclaiming her – except the mean girls?
5. Hardman, discovering she was alive, sending Heather, Heather and the antipathy, her being a counterspy? Her flirting with the boys? The buildup to the confrontation, the fight with Heather? Hardman and his taking Megan, the truth serum, her wanting a life, the assistant interpreting her properly, her being allowed to return, being cut off? Victoria York coming to attack her? Hardman to the rescue, allowing her to continue, her being in deep cover? And the little boy talking about ninjas and the invitation to him to enrol in the Prescott school for boys?
6. Elizabeth, angry, rude, embarrassed at school, the truth serum and Megan telling her about herself, her understanding himself, change of heart, continued support, knowing the truth about Megan, the party as chaperone, the encounter with Gooch and attracted to him, his performance as Braveheart? The mother, upset about Megan not looking after Elizabeth? Elizabeth, at the Homecoming dance, Heather the attack, Victoria York, her doing the stabbing, sisters-in-arms?
7. Cash, music, the teacher supporting him, his songs, testing them on Megan, inviting her to the Homecoming, his self-absorption?
8. Roger, nice, attentive, his father lecturing him? Going to the Homecoming, his father, presumption, his stepping in and supporting Megan, going off in the helicopter with her?
9. A film for teenage female audiences, entertainment, role models…?
