Shakespeare for the New Millennium
10 Things is a Shrewd Update of the Bard

While William Shakespeare probably never intended for his classic "The Taming of the Shrew" to be adapted as a teen comedy nearly 400 years later, this fluffy flick manages to capture some of the spirit of the story. It may not be art, but 10 Things I Hate About You has a certain style.

From the streets of Elizabethan Padua to modern day Seattle, 10 Things brings "The Taming of the Shrew" to a high school setting. It's a story of two sisters. While Bianca Stratford (Larisa Oleynik) is one of the most popular girls in school, her sister Katarina (Julia Stiles) is shunned by girls and feared by boys. Whereas Kat has guys on the run, though, Bianca has caught the eyes of two young men, Joey (the class Narcissist) and Cameron, a new guy in school (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt).

Unfortunately for Bianca, her father (comedian Larry Miller) refuses to let the girls date. Kat doesn't mind, reveling in her anti-social status, but Bianca hates it. With what he considers a Solomon-like wisdom, Mr. Stratford has declared that Bianca can date when her sister does. So with a Machiavellian bit of scheming, Bianca convinces Cameron to help her find a date for Kat. He agrees and attempts to get the school's most notorious student (Heath Ledger) to tame the wild Katarina. Little does Cameron suspect that his efforts will bring Bianca closer to Joey.

While the plot may seem predictable (it is 400 years old, after all) the fun lies in watching the twists and updates brought to the story. Stiles is wonderful as Kat, with both her "tempestuous" nature and her sardonic wit. As Bianca, Oleynik does a fair job. She's fairly cute, but not much more. Ledger, who seems at first to be a stereotypical brooding rebel, manages to appear charming in a James Dean sort of way. The funniest performance, however, comes from Miller, who manages to capture the fears of every father but still come off as comical in his absurd handling of the situations.

In addition to the main cast, there are some noteworthy supporting performances. Daryl "Chill" Mitchell portrays Kat's English teacher, and he plays off her character perfectly. Playing Cameron's friend Michael is David Krumboltz. He manages to act more like a shady personal injury attorney, but he never forgets that he's playing a teen.

Those not familiar with the Bard's original play might miss some of the subtle nuances that appear in 10 Things. From "Padua" High School to the name "Patrick Verona" there are several nods to the Bard that make this movie a treat.

My only disappointment lay in the fact that there is a small amount of unnecessary sexual innuendo and foul language. It seemed out of place in a film aimed at teens. Maybe Will would approve, but I guess I'm just old-fashioned.

MY RATING: 7 out of 10.

RATED:
RUN TIME: 97 min.

Shakespeare for the New Millennium 10 Things is a Shrewd Update of the Bard

Shakespeare for the New Millennium
10 Things is a Shrewd Update of the Bard