Synopsis

If hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, just think of how much damage three teenage girls could to do if pushed to their romantic breaking points. Okay folks, now take whatever you’re imagining, and triple it. That’s how much havoc a band of resourceful high school girls end up wreaking on the triple-timing campus stud in the comedy John Tucker Must Die. The destruction begins when three gorgeous, popular girls from competing high school cliques discover that they have each been dating the same guy: the school’s smooth and hunky basketball team captain, John Tucker. After comparing notes, the fuming trio; reporter-wannabe Carrie, head cheerleader Heather, and vegan activist Beth conspire, with the help of newcomer Kate, to teach Tucker a lesson he’ll never forget. Unfortunately, every wacky, grossly embarrassing scheme they hatch to undermine 'Tuck' backfires and only makes him more popular than ever. Desperate, the girls realize they’ll have to step up their assault. John Tucker must die. Of a broken heart!

What The Critics Say

"Buoyed by its good looking cast and entertaining script, John Tucker Must Die is witty and funny, as it reminds us that it is cool to be yourself - whoever you are. Everything leads to confessions and cream fights and all's well that ends well with the resolutions staying real. Or as real as you could hope for in a high school filled with pretty girls and where study does not seem to feature on the curriculum." Louise Keller URBAN CINEFILE "As a teen comedy, this one is both sweet and funny, without being raunchy. Surely there is a place in the world for innocent little films like this. Let's hope so." Steve Rhodes INTERNET REVIEWS "While it's no Heathers ... there are some truly dark and funny moments throughout with director Betty Thomas, setting just about the right tone." Jane Stevenson JAM! MOVIES "Not quite in the league of Mean Girls but this is still an enjoyably silly teen revenge comedy with strong performances and a witty, likeable script." Matthew Turner VIEW LONDON "This is one of those films that manages to overcome the limitations of it's genre and become something a bit more." Eric Lurio GREENWICH VILLAGE GAZETTE

"A teen comedy version of a woman scorned that turns out to be a celebration of a chauvinist who triumphs in the end." Frederic and Mary Ann SPIRITUALITY & PRACTICE "A load of formulaic nonsense that should still turn a few young heads thanks to its fantasy plot and Jesse Metcalfe's chest." Anna Smith EMPIRE MAGAZINE UK ".. the film has a great deal of laugh-out-loud moments, thanks mostly to the relationship that develops among the four girls, and the ridiculous hoops they force Tucker through. Although there are some casting question marks (Ashanti can't offer her role anything more than attitude, which grows old very quickly), the film's upbeat climax is a pleasant surprise. Tucker is strictly for the teen crowd, but the intermittent waves of witty fun are to die for." Tyler Hanley PALO ALTO ".... the fact that so much is predictable is pretty expected. And since it's aiming at those packs of teen girls heading to the multiplex on a Friday night, John Tucker Must Die will likely lock onto them like a laser beam." Anne Gilbert FILMCRITIC.COM

The Inside Story No doubt every woman will, after seeing "John Tucker Must Die", want to boast or nod knowingly that they have encountered someone just like John Tucker. Yeh! Get real girls. It's an honest to goodness urban myth. The sad truth for men is that guys like John Tucker are as rare as rocking horse shit. In fact most guys at high school have enough trouble hitching up with one girl, let alone three. Women love to exagerate 'everything' and the sad fact is that, like the guys, they too have trouble finding just one guy to latch on to, although I do realize there are a few girls, so desperate, they'd be happy to share a guy even if they knew he was dating someone else. Here's alittle memory jogger. Hands up all those girls who lost a boyfriend to their very best girlfriend. Ok, you can all put your hands down. Let's face it, two-timing is a common behavioural pattern of both sexes. But triple timing on a grand scale at high school level? That's stretching the imagination a little too far. Of course, being cheated on can really rile some people, leading to them comptemplating sweet revenge, if only in their mind. Suffering a broken heart, they conjour up all sorts of ways to extract justice. Very few do. After a couple of miserable suicidal weeks, sobbing and crying night and day, most guys with plenty of encouragement from their mates, just get on with life. It's all part of the 'healing' process. Girls on the other hand, are not always so forgiving. They want the rotten cheating bastard to suffer a worse fate than they themselves have. Now that can be very nasty. "I came to the conclusion that all heartbreak begins in the formative teenage years," says screenwriter Jeff Lowell, "and started thinking about my own high school, where there was the 'Big Man on Campus' that every girl drooled over, including my girlfriend. Even back then, I realized there was nothing I could do about it. You can’t define yourself by who you’re dating." So what was it that finally led to him writing the script for "John Tucker Must Die? "I thought about the popular girls at school, who they were and how they acted'. 'I remembered how every clique had a leader and, no matter what the group represented, the hottest one was always in charge. Even the 'smart girls' deferred to the prettier girl to lead them, even if she wasn’t particularly smart." Producer Bob Cooper, who currently runs Landscape Entertainment, into whose hands the script made its way, was impressed. "When I first read the script, I thought, 'Wow, it’s got all the ingredients'. It was breezy, fun, and comedic,' recalls Cooper. 'But it also had a relatable theme which, to me, is the most critical thing. It’s about how everyone in high school pretends to be something they’re not just to have some kind of acceptable identity. This, of course, makes it hard to know who anyone really is. It’s a vicious cycle." Cooper took the script to Twentieth Century Fox. "They saw what I saw in it: a big, fun movie," the producer recalls. Within nine months, the studio gave "John Tucker Must Die" the green light. First job was to find the right director. Betty Thomas read the script and immediatley realized that "The story felt fresher and more real than the average romantic comedy. I felt like I’d never done a film like this, one that’s about finding out about the world of romance, how it affects you, what it means. I loved the idea of exploring all the games that go into having a relationship, fake or real." Thomas got the job because as Cooper explains, she "wanted it to be more than just your typical fast-cutting, MTVstyle youth movie. She was obsessed with giving John Tucker a design, an aura, and an energy all its own. I always found her an extraordinary framer of comedy and knew her work here would be no exception." Now all they needed was the right cast. They soon found one. What They Had To Say "I really, really identified with Kate," says Brittany Snow. "I’d never read a script where I felt a part was 'so me'. I also thought it’d be a great chance to play the underdog, because it’s not often those characters get to be the lead. Kate and I have had similar experiences. We’ve both moved around a lot during school and we’re both a little dorky. I also identified with her quirks and how, as more of the quiet, observer type, she was constantly being overlooked. Kids in high school just don’t take the time to notice people that are a bit under the radar."
"We needed an actor who would not only look the part, but could actually play basketball," says producer Bob Cooper. "Jesse knew his way around the hoops and liked to do his own stunts, too. He really filled the bill."
"Yes, he’s attractive, charming, relaxed, and had athletic qualities that were important for the role," says director Betty Thomas. "But he also makes you feel at home, like you’re the only person in the room. That’s John Tucker's greatest strength too, why all the girls respond to him. Once I realized that, Jesse didn’t even have to audition for me. I knew he was the one."
"I definitely wasn’t John Tucker in high school. I knew I’d have to be very careful playing someone like John Tucker, because it’s an easy role to turn into caricature," says the hedge-clipping hottie from "Desperate Housewives", Jesse Metcalfe. "There was also a responsibility to the audience to show the character’s vulnerability. Otherwise, he’d just be another jerk."
Arielle Kebbel, who plays the ambitious Carrie, describes her character as "the kind of girl a guy would want to bring home to his parents. She has unstoppable energy, great resourcefulness, and definite intelligence. Carrie’s got plenty of sex appeal, too, can’t forget that!"
"Ironically, in high school, I was a cheerleader and belonged to a clique, so my character and I share a few similarities," says Grammy Award winning singer-actress Ashanti. "On the other hand, I was a lot more down-to-earth than Heather and also very humble. And I never tried to seek revenge against anyone!"
"Sophia Bush, who plays Brooke Davis, a ditzy, vegan/environmentalist recalls, "The movie spoke to me on many levels. I liked the way it looked at how men modify their behavior to be with women and the lies they tell to keep them interested. The script also said a lot about friendship, how boyfriends come and go, but friends are forever. That’s a great message and I wanted to be a part of it."
"I’ve always played these wacky comedic characters, so the chance to actually play a mom with a teenage daughter seemed like such a nice change for me," says the 1994 Playmate of the Year, Jenny McCarthy who made her film debut as a blonde nurse in the 1995 film "Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead". McCarthy took the role because she, "really wanted the opportunity to show people I’ve got heart as well as a funny bone." The Verdict "While "John Tucker Must Die" is aimed fairly and squarely at the teen market, adults with a broad sense of humour will get quite a few laughs out of the various attempts the 'cheated on' girls make in an effort to extract their revenge on the principal character, John Tucker. While this film isn't quite as biting as "Mean Girls" it is never the less, worth taking in. Enough laughs and 'eye candy' to keep the teenagers in the audience entertained. Good, clean, fun. 3 STARS." Cast & Crew Bytes "JOHN TUCKER MUST DIE" stars .......
Jesse Metcalfe [TV'S "Smallville" and "Desperate Housewives"]; Brittany Snow ["The Pacifier"]; Ashanti ["Bride & Prejudice" and "Coach Carter"]; Sophia Bush ["Van Wilder: Party Liaison", "Supercross" and "Stay Alive"]; Arielle Kebbel ["Soul Plane", "Be Cool" and "Dirty Deeds"], Fatso-Fasano ["The Beat"] and Jenny McCarthy ["The Stupids", "Scream 3", "Scary Movie 3" and "Dirty Love"] as Lori Spencer.
"JOHN TUCKER MUST DIE" was .......
directed by Betty Thomas ["Only You", "The Brady Bunch Movie", "Doctor Dolittle" and "28 Days"]; story by Jeff Lowell [TV'S "The Drew Carey Show" and "Just Shoot Me!"]; costume design by Alexandra Welker ["Meet the Deedles" and "Just Friends"]; cinematography by Anthony B Richmond ["Legally Blonde" and "Just Friends"]; original music by Richard Gibbs ["Big Momma's House" and "Barbershop 2: Back in Business"] produced by Michael Birnbaum ["Keys to Tulsa", "Bandits" and "The Big White"], Bob Cooper ["C-Scam" and "Sleepover"] and Karen Lunder ["Sleepover"]. Run Time 87 minutes Rated PG [AUST] Copyright ©2006 - 20th Century Fox - All Rights Reserved Copyright Protected © 2006 - Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved