SLAP HER, SHE'S FRENCH
US, 2001, 95 minutes, Colour.
Piper Perabo, Jane Mc Gregor, Michael Mc Kean.
Directed by Melanie Mayron.
Slap Her, She’s French is a teen comedy with a difference. Piper Perabo (The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, Coyote Ugly) portrays a French exchange student in Texas. She enters into the Grady household and gradually takes it over. In fact, the film is something of a high school teenage All About Eve. Jane McGregor? is the daughter of the house and it is her life, her studies, her cheerleading squad – even the affections of her parents that lose out to the visiting French girl. Needless to say, she eventually gets her comeuppance.
The film was directed by Melanie Mayron, an actress who also directed an extensive range of television series and telemovies.
1. An entertaining comedy? Satire? Poking fun at Texas and the Texans? At Americans, at the French?
2. The title, its tone, the focus on Genevieve, people's reaction to her? The truth and her unmasking?
3. The Texas settings around Dallas, the small town, the high school, the wealthy homes, TV studios, the sports fields? An authentic atmosphere of Texas? The tone of Texas, the open fields, the cattle, beef?
4. The parody of Texas - accents, the focus on beef, the initial pageant, the perspective of Texas being the greatest state in the world, the allusions to the two Presidents Bush? Manner, schools, glamour - an old-style Americana of the south?
5. The focus on Starla and Jane McGregor's vigorous performance? Her being self-centred, believing everything from the glossy magazines, her friends? Her relationship with her parents and their adulation of her? The clashes with her brother, Randolph Scott? The competition, her undermining her two friends, her speech about community? Their comment about her sewing up every victory? The quick announcement about the French exchange student - after rejecting it? Seeing everything in terms of herself? Her clashes with Ed and his seeing through her? Her boyfriend and his gross manner, eating? The airport, receiving Genevieve, the photo opportunities? The efforts to speak French? Her taking Genevieve under her wing, improving Genevieve's appearance, taking her to school, being the centre of attention, Ed and the photos, the change and the article about Genevieve? Her ambitions, her checklist? Her treatment of others, her reading the news for the school, wanting to be on Good Morning America? Her not realising that Genevieve was gradually undermining her, her discovery of the truth? Her being ousted from the cheerleader squad? The French classes, the exam, the failure, the tapes, the rudeness to Mr Duke - and the later playing the tape criticising him and everyone? Genevieve taking her place, successful as a cheerleader, in school, the article, glamour, going hunting with her father, calling the parents Mother and Father, watching television with them? Her growing exasperation? Her violence? Ed telling her the truth, her gradual realisation, having to face the reality about herself? Her being drugged, put in jail, her brother getting her out, the discovery of the truth, getting the video, rushing to the TV station, her speech, interrupting Genevieve? Her love for Ed, going with him, not worrying about not winning the competition?
6. Genevieve, gawky, her arrival, wallflower, modest, gradually taking over, revealing the meanness, taking Starla's place, getting the popularity, the article, hunting, at home, the cheerleading and her being provocative, taking the boyfriend? Drugging Starla? The climax and the TV station - her being unmasked as Clarissa, the memories of the past, kissing the ice cow, her words coming over the microphone and denouncing everybody? Starla being the heroine, Clarissa ousted? Clarissa turning up in France pretending to be Starla?
7. The girlfriends, at the pageant, their speeches, friendship with Starla, yet resenting her, their fights, reconciliations? Their wanting glamour, following trends?
8. The parents, Dad with his video, proud of his daughter, taking Genevieve hunting? Mother, glamorous, her drinking? Randolph and his precocious reading of books, lack of interest in things Texan, yet supporting his family, bailing out Starla, helping her and Ed with the unmasking of Clarissa?
9. Ed, his work on the paper, clashes with Starla, attraction towards Genevieve, interviewing her, his interpreting her as coming on, his story, change of heart, trying to tell the truth to Starla, being a guide when she was being pretentious, his misinterpreting the end, the reconciliation? The contrast with Starla's boyfriend, the jock, expected couple, his gross manners, infatuated by Genevieve, trying to reconcile with Starla?
10. Mr Duke, Michael McKean's comedy style, the French classes, the sexual innuendo, failing Starla, the playing of the tape?
11. The coach, her attitude towards Starla, supporting Genevieve? The other members of the staff? The students in the school and their admiration of Starla, looking at her on television? The contrast with the protesting students against exploitation of women, beef, world issues? The lesbian student?
12. Non -American audiences enjoying the satire on America? The impact for American audiences? Texan audiences?
