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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.

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