'I Love You, Beth Cooper' review

Jack T. Carpenter and Hayden Panettiere (Credit: Joe Lederer/20th Century Fox)

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10 essential high school comedies

Will ‘I Love You Beth Cooper’ make the grade?

It’s the ultimate geek confession when outcast Denis Cooverman (Paul Rust) uses his graduation speech to declare his feelings for head cheerleader Beth Cooper (Hayden Panettiere, the cheerleader on “Heroes”). What follows is a madcap night—involving everyone from Denis’ potentially gay best friend to Beth’s angry military boyfriend—that finally allows Denis to get to know the real version of his fantasy girl.

The buzz: Writer Larry Doyle’s (“The Simpsons”) novel of the same name is a smart, insightful nod to the lust, booze and awkwardness of the teenage experience. Leaving this material in the hands of Chris Columbus (“Home Alone,” “Rent”), one of Hollywood’s least imaginative directors, seems like an awfully good way to turn an honest, sometimes raunchy teen comedy into a bland, PG-13 tale suitable for ABC Family.

The verdict: A caricature of teen life instead of an appreciation of it, the stilted, airless “I Love You, Beth Cooper” rigidly adheres to the novel’s basics and loses all of the spunk, wit and complexity in translation. (Columbus and Doyle fast-forward through everything, giving no characters or experiences time to escalate or settle, and sucking the excitement out of what’s supposed to feel legendary.) Denis comes off as obnoxious instead of endearingly insecure, and Panettiere doesn’t capture the reinforcement Beth gets from being adored. Overall, the movie on screen never comes close to the hilarious and relatable entertainment of the story playing in the reader’s mind.

Did you know? Beth tells Denis, “You don’t want to talk to your dad when he has his pants down.” Anyone dare to disagree?

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