Family Movie: "Prom", Saturday, 9/24

Saturday, September 24
12 pm

Prom
Rated PG
104 minutes

Does anything pierce the hearts, hopes, and dreams of high schoolers like prom? It's not just a dance--it represents love, affirmation, a rite of passage, and the chance to get a really, really cute dress. And maybe the boy you've had a crush on since freshman year. Disney's Prom is a warm, affectionate look at a cast of characters (think High School Musical or Glee), about whom the audience slowly begins to care and root for. "Graduation is for the parents," one character solemnly pronounces, "but prom is really for us." The ensemble cast is believable and talented, and each young actor breaks out of his or her proscribed stereotype--the blond popular girl, Nova (Aimee Teegarden, also a standout in Scream 4), the broody dark-haired mystery guy, Jesse (Thomas McDonell--watch your back, Pattinson), and more. There are outcasts who earnestly believe in the magic of prom, and there are anointed ones who are jaded. But somehow they will all come together on this night to go through the wonderful, sometimes terrifying, sometimes shudderingly awful night known as prom. Standouts in the crowd include Mei (Yin Chang), who is obsessing over a secret, and Tyler (DeVaughn Nixon, incredibly handsome and confident on camera). Jared Kusnitz is Justin, a John Cusack-like Everykid who observes all the angst and anticipation leading up to the dance, and can't quite commit to whether he's part of the scene or not. Director Joe Nussbaum keeps all the intertwining stories moving along crisply, and guides his young actors with a light, engaging hand. Before you know it, it's prom night, and every viewer will have his or her heart on the line. Prom also features a great soundtrack, with fresh songs from the Weepies, the Shout Out Louds, and more. Dance on, kids. --A.T. Hurley

FREE Admission. Snacks and drinks are provided by the Friends of the Lane Memorial Library.