Whatever It Takes (2000)

Whatever It Takes Poster

A nerdy teen, Ryan Woodman is smitten with the popular and gorgeous Ashley Grant, who apparently has no interest in him. Meanwhile, dim star athlete Chris Campbell has his eye on Ryan's brainy and beautiful friend, Maggie Carter. The two agree to help each other in their romantic quests, but, as they come closer to their goals, both Ryan and Chris suspect that they might be pursuing the wrong girls.

MOVIE SUMMARY:
The movie "Whatever It Takes" is a 2000 American teenager funny film directed by David Raynr. The movie script was written by Mark Schwahn, drawing predictable influence from the timeless classic works of William Shakespeare such as "Cyrano de Bergerac" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

PLOT:
The film focuses on its 2 main characters: Ryan Woodman (Shane West) and Chris Campbell (James Franco). Ryan is an unpopular, socially awkward high-school senior with a crush on the hottest and most popular girl, Ashley Grant (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe). On the other end is Chris, a smooth-talking, good-looking jock who has his sights set on Ryan's buddy and next-door neighbor, Maggie Carter (Marla Sokoloff), who is not popular however very wise and beautiful.

HIGH SCHOOL POLITICS AND LOVE INTERESTS:
Ryan and Chris are an odd duo but their common agenda of wooing the girls leads them into a pact. Ryan is to help Chris get closer to Maggie using his close friendship to Maggie's benefit. At the exact same time, Chris is to help Ryan acquire the attention of Ashley by teaching him how to be cool and charm Ashley. The pact engenders a series of comical and sometimes disastrous efforts by both parties in their quote to impress the women.

ISSUES:
The plot thickens as both kids harbor their own secrets. Ryan realizes he's in love with Maggie, however feels not able to reveal his sensations given the pact. Alternatively, Chris finds himself genuinely succumbing to Maggie's intellect and character, rather than simply pursuing her for superficial popularity functions. The kids' manipulative methods backfire as the women find their ploy, causing a significant fallout in between all characters. A series of mix-ups, discoveries and romantic awareness takes place.

CLIMAX:
To recover the ladies, they persuaded, lied to, and controlled, Ryan and Chris must do 'Whatever it Takes.' In the movie's climactic scene, Ryan gives Maggie a wholehearted speech to reveal his true feelings for her and his regret at having had fun with her feelings. On the other hand, Chris makes his redemption by surrendering his gamer personality and admitting his real feelings for Ashley to her face.

RESOLUTION:
By the end, their sincere confessions win the girls' hearts. Ryan and Maggie wind up becoming a couple, as do Chris and Ashley. The movie closes on a pleased note, declaring that honesty and real affection are the indispensable cornerstone of any successful relationship. It promotes the expression that love is not about plans or looks but about speaking from the heart and respecting the other individual's sensations.

OVERALL:
"Whatever It Takes" is a light-hearted teen comedy that checks out the themes of relationship, love, honesty, and maturing. Its amusing and remarkable antics, together with its main message of credibility in love and friendships, provide an amusing watch. The movie uses a modern, vibrant spin on classic Shakespearean styles of love and mistaken identities, showing that often, you need to do 'whatever it takes' to discover real love.

Top Cast