Skip to main content

The To Do List

Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Johnny Simmons, and Bill Hader
Directed by: Maggie Carey
Screenplay by: Maggie Carey

     Brandy Klark (Aubrey Plaza) is going to college in the fall.  There are a few things she wants to get done before she goes to school though.  Her biggest goal for the summer is to lose her virginity to a guy named Rusty Waters (Scott Porter).  So, she's created a list of all the sexual experiences she thinks she should have before going to college, including intercourse with Rusty Waters.  This list will be rewarding at some times and will threaten her friendships and potential relationship with her friend Cameron (Johnny Simmons).  Spoiler alert:  You probably can guess many if not all of the things that happen to Brandy as she goes through the list (no STDs and no pregnancy).
     The To Do List is easily the raunchiest film of the year so far.  Pretty much all the dialogue in the film has something to do with sex or some aspect thereof, and at times, it can make you squirm in your seat a little.  For some, this movie might be pretty uncomfortable because of just how prevalent sex is in the storyline.  It's all about sex, so if you don't like seeing a movie all about sex or are uncomfortable with the subject in any way, I'd recommend seeing something else.
     Aubrey Plaza delivers an excellent performance as Brandy Klark, and stands out as the clear star of the show.  She plays the parts of both a nerdy high school valedictorian and a girl on her sexual journey, and plays these roles quite well.  She's the only performance that really stands out in this film.  Bill Hader plays a slightly different role in this film than we're used to seeing him play on Saturday Night Live.  He's more serious in this film, but still brings some comedy to his role.
      The writing for the film is terrific.  The laughs start right as the film begins and they don't stop until the film's end.  The To Do List is perhaps one of the funniest films I've seen all year, and I think part of that is because most people are not as comfortable with the subject of sex as this movie's characters are, and that's just a way for audience members to deal with their lack of comfort in this subject.
      Overall, this is one of the strangest films I've seen this year and at the same time, one of the funniest.  Like I said above, if you're comfortable with this subject, this might just be the movie for you.  Teenage boys will probably not want to see this movie with either their girlfriends or especially, their mothers.  It can be kind of embarrassing at times depending on whom you see this movie with.
      I give The To Do List a B.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

First Man

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, and Corey Stoll Directed by: Damien Chazelle Screenplay by: Josh Singer Based on the book by James R. Hansen      Yes, this is the same director who did La La Land from a few years ago.  But this is a true story this time, and not necessarily a feel good one.      Many of us know about Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969.  First Man is not simply the story of the moon landing, but the story about Armstrong and what led him to be the first man in history to walk on the moon.  It's a story about making huge sacrifices for himself, and his family, in order to accomplish such a goal, as well as overcoming a great deal of grief.       The film focuses almost entirely on Neil (Ryan Gosling).  The film opens up on him as one of the premiere pilots in the military, piloting the X-15; a plane that was capable of flying over 100,000 feet altitude.  He is portrayed as
Post a Comment
Read more

The Hunger Games

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth Directed by: Gary Ross Screenplay by: Gary Ross and Suzanne Collins Based on the novel by Suzanne Collins      If reality television hasn't gone too far yet, then this show should definitely make it go too far.      In a futuristic nation called Panem, one boy and one girl are selected from each of the nation's twelve districts to represent them in an annual television event called the Hunger Games.  Of the 24 contestants, only one will survive in this televised fight to the death.      I like the concept of the story.  While this futuristic society seems somewhat simple, it does not seem all that well developed.  It is unknown how this society came into being, even though it is known how the Hunger Games began.      If this film were released last year, I would have hoped it would be nominated for best make-up.  Many of the characters look absolutely ridiculous and are way too flashy, but the make-up is v
2 comments
Read more

Rosewater

Starring:  Gael García Bernal, Kim Bodina, and Dimitri Leonidas Directed by: Jon Stewart Screenplay by: Jon Stewart Based on the book " Then They Came for Me: A Family's Story of Love, Captivity, and Survival" by Maziar Bahari      Remember last summer when Jon Stewart took three months off from hosting The Daily Show  leaving it to John Oliver?  This film is the reason.      Maziar Bahari is a journalist for Newsweek who is on assignment in Tehran, Iran for the 2009 election.  The election is between the incumbent president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and Mir-Hossein Mousavi.  When Bahari first arrives in Iran, the polls show that it is likely Mousavi will win as he is gaining a rather large lead against Ahmadinejad.  Ahmadinejad is backed by the Supreme Leader and there are fears that the election will be rigged in favor of Ahmedinejad.  Well, that's exactly what happens.  There are protests in the streets, and Bahari's story has changed.  He first was coveri
Post a Comment
Read more