Clueless movie poster
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Clueless movie poster

Clueless Review

Now available on Blu-ray and DVD (Buy on Amazon)

"Clueless" made waves back in 1995 and made Alicia Silverstone a temporary star, but ten years later, is it still any good? I have to admit I was a bit skeptical as to whether it would be as good as I remembered it, but... thankfully, it was. Now out in a new "Whatever!" edition, "Clueless" is just as funny as it was, and boy does Alicia Silverstone look good!

For those who haven't seen this teen classic, the movie follows Cher, a matchmaking 15-year old at a Beverly Hills High School who spends so much time trying to hook up her friends that she fails to give herself adequate time to find true love herself. Despite being attracted to a new student who happens to be gay, she slowly begins to realize that she is in love with her stepbrother, played by Paul Rudd.

"Clueless" capitalizes on a witty script and fun actors, several of whom have gone on to even bigger things in the years to come. Most notable are Breckin Meyer as a Sean Penn-style stoner and Brittany Murphy as a mildly unattractive girl. How things change. This is also Silverstone's best movie, unless you count "Batman and Robin," of course. And yes, I'm just kidding there. While I don't find Silverstone as attractive as she once was, she looks really good in a miniskirt here. And, to move beyond my shallowness, I'll admit she is perfect for the role here; she delivers a great performance.

Probably the best part about "Clueless," and what helps set it apart from the rest, is that the movie is not your stereotypical teen romantic comedy; in fact, it can hardly be considered a romantic film at all. While the movie is all about matchmaking, the central plot never directly revolves around two characters trying to make a relationship work; the relationship between Silverstone and Rudd only appears in the last twenty minutes. "Clueless" does not rely on cheesy clichés and predictable developments; it works off a great script and fun performances from all people involved.

I don't know how many features on this new "Whatever!" edition are actually new, but there are plenty of them for any "Clueless" fan to feast on. Interviews, behind-the-scenes featurettes and tutorials on driving, slang and "Suck 'N Blow" are all includes for your viewing pleasure.

"Clueless" is a fun little movie to return to after several years of video shelf life; I'm happy to have this film in my collection, and the new "Whatever!" edition offers up plenty of features for those who like such things.

Review by Erik Samdahl.

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Our Rating