Life happens sometimes. It can be tough. We have to make choices. Sometimes life gets turned upside down, so you deal and move on. That's what the movie How To Deal attempts to portray from the eyes of a teenage protagonist.
This teenager, 17-year-old Halley Martin, portrayed by Mandy Moore (A Walk to Remember, The Princess Diaries) is a non-believer in the love department, especially since the people closest to her are all experiencing major upheavals in their love lives. The opening minutes of the movie gives you the impression that this movie will be a delightful coming-of-age story. But what it doesn't reveal is that this movie is more about a teenager who never seems to be satisfied with her life, and as a result, acts selfishly and rebelliously. Halley believes that everyone in her life is purposely ruining her life.
Sounds like a typical teenager, right? Well not completely. Halley vows to not deal with a lot of the issues, especially when it comes to the opposite sex. She hopelessly tries to avoid falling in love with a boy at her school named Macon Forrester, portrayed by Trent Ford (Gosford Park), who also holds some of the same reluctant views on love as she does. Halley's life becomes more and more complicated as her mother Lydia, portrayed by Allison Janney (NBC's "The West Wing") has to deal with being alone. Her husband, Len, potrayed by Peter Gallagher (Mr. Deeds) a radical radio station deejay, runs off with a much- younger traffic reporter. And not to mention the fact that her sister Ashley (Mary Catherine Garrison, Moonlight Mile) is getting married to someone that she fights with all the time.
As Halley's view of love starts to crumble, she soon learns that her best friend Scarlett (Alexandra Holden, The Hot Chick) has betrayed their so-called pact to not fall in love and falls head-over-heels for a new guy. Halley begins to feel trapped as life presents her with situations that are beyond hers or anyone else's control. As her friendship blossoms with Macon, they learn to trust one another a little more. However, her view of love is still one of complacency as she seems to think of him only as a make-out partner. Halley is challenged to recognize the love that is all around her, and that she has to be vulnerable and open her heart up to it in order to experience its healing power.
The plot of the movie holds together quite well, despite an entourage of sometimes-corny romance themes. The movie deals with just about every form of love: parental, romantic, sibling, and friendship- something we can all relate to. Producer William Teitler (Tuck Everlasting, Hurricane) and co-director Erica Huggins got the idea for How To Deal a few years ago after reading the two novels Someone Like You and That Summer by Sarah Dessen. Teitler put them together in order to make the film into an accurate portrayal of the way teenagers experience life. A follow-up project to How to Deal entitled This Lullaby will also be released by New Line Cinema, based on Sarah Dessen's new book.
The films' ensemble cast is contrived of both relative newcomers, as well as some established actors. One character undoubtedly worth mentioning includes Halley's wacky pot-smoking Grandma Halley portrayed by Nina Foch. Foch, was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in the 1954 film Executive Suite, and has also appeared in such films as An American in Paris, The Ten Commandments, and Spartacus. You can definitely expect to experience a few laughs especially when the silly Grandmother speaks. It's really quite hilarious with her often strange, but funny outbursts. This is one thing that keeps the movie from diving into the deepest depth of one-star status.
Moore's alternative style of dress and pessimistic character role in Deal is far different than the sweet, innocent character she portrayed in A Walk to Remember, opposite Shane West. After seeing A Walk to Remember, I was blindsided into thinking that any movie she did after that had to be as good or better. And some Mandy Moore fans out there might be a little disappointed with her whiney and sometimes loveless attitude in Deal. Moore, 19, has already become quite successful as a singer, as well as a rising Hollywood star. She has three Platinum-selling albums and has two successful feature films to her name, thus far. Moore's next role will be in Brian Dannelly's Saved in Fall 2003 with Macaulay Culkin. In September 2003, Moore's next solo album, Coverage, will also be released.
Most people will be able to relate to this film, although it is obvious that the desired audience is teens. This film speaks their language. For the dysfunctional family life victim, one might find hope through the films' portrayal that love can overcome all odds. At the very least, I did find How To Deal entertaining, even if it doesn't completely live up to its title.
Stephanie Anderson is a reporter for the Web Devil. Reach her at stephanie.j.anderson@asu.edu
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out of four
