Although my original guilty pleasure for Day 27 was GREASE (the 1978 fan-favourite musical) I decided to go with CLUELESS, the 1995 teen movie, loosely based on Jane Austen’s novel Emma. I’m pretty certain CLULESS was the right choice…
I received the film on DVD as a Christmas gift (I was around 12 at the time). It came as a box set with MEAN GIRLS, which I proceeded to watch around a thousand times over. I was a little weary of the former film, as it looked a little…cheesy. The fake-looking Barbie girls, the weird 1990s fashion, the rather skeptical fact that Alicia Silverstone was supposed to be playing a 15 year-old girl called Cher – it just didn’t feel like a film I’d enjoy. But after watching it all the way through, I’ve found it to be one, huge guilty pleasure!
Cher (Silverstone) is a rather spoilt, ditzy high school girl, with one thing on her mind: shopping. However, things change when – along with her best friend Dionne (played by Stacey Dash, who was 27 at the time of filming!) – they take on the task of making over grungy new girl Tai (Brittany Murphy). While trying to transform her new friend, Cher tries to nab herself a boyfriend (in the form of the unknown actor Justin Walker) and tries to set-up two lonely teachers. But as Tai’s new-found popularity goes to her head, Cher finds she is pushed to the outskirts of her social group. The remarkable thing is that she continues to be fashionably fabulous, despite her inclusion in every teenage mishap that occurs (being held up at gun-point, parties, constantly being offered drugs, failing her driving test…the list goes on).
What really helms CLUELESS as a guilty pleasure (but, deep down, massive favourite) is the cast itself. Silverstone co-stars alongside Wallace Shawn (Rex in TOY STORY!), Paul Rudd, Donald Faison and Breckin Meyer, who are all brilliant, separate and together. However, Silverstone as Cher is just pure genius. Not only does she pull off the ‘dumb blonde’ facade, but also manages to mix in some sly, undiscovered intelligence. When asked what she thought of another girl (looks-wise) she described her as a Monet painting – “It’s like a painting, see? From far away, it’s OK, but up close, it’s a big old mess.” (I think I’ll have to start using that one). Her characters is full of very quotable catchphrases which squished pre-2000s America into a tiny, well-dressed, blonde-haired ball.
My guilty pleasure nomination is also supported by the fact that none of my close friends – including other MEAN GIRLS fans – have ever seen the film. Surely this points towards it being something I can feel guilty about?! CLUELESS is probably one of MEAN GIRLS’ main references: the popularity contest, the clothes, the soundtrack (very, very 90s in this case), the gay friend…it’s all in both! As a female, I think I’m justified in enjoying CLUELESS – it probably would be considered guiltier if I was a guy!
So, as a fan, I can proudly declare that this film sits among my other teen favourites, which include ST ELMO’S FIRE, THE BREAKFAST CLUB and PRETTY IN PINK. And although the ending smells a little like your local supermarkets’ cheese counter, you just can’t beat a chunk of 1990s culture!
See the rest of THN’s Guilty Pleasures here
