What Do The Critics Say?

"Sydney features a rather jovial execution that not only helps the picture survive itself, but manages to produce a stunningly entertaining teen comedy." Brian Orndorf eFILMCRITIC "The humor is fast-paced, jovial with just a tinge of sarcasm and never cynical." N.V. Cooper E! ONLINE "In Sydney White, [Bynes] actually has decent material to work with -- the Snow White concept is clever and the dialogue is fairly sharp." Peter Howell TORONTO STAR "Sydney White is an adorably clever re-thinking of a classic fairy tale." Adam Schubak TV GUIDE'S MOVIE GUIDE "Snow White joins a sorority and gets some Revenge of the Nerds friends in Sydney White, a cute comedy for girls." Kyle Smith NEW YORK POST "Completely undemanding and entirely predictable, this Amanda Bynes vehicle, nevertheless, offers plenty of charm, a lot of laughs, and that rarest of commodities, a smart, independent, can-do heroine." Pam Grady REELCOM

"Ms Bynes, with her cherubic face, expressive eyes and comic timing, helps create a positive, pleasing diversion that caters to the geek in all of us." Laura Kern NEW YORK TIMES "By most critical standards, this is a pretty dumb movie but thanks to Bynes' efforts, I was too busy being entertained to really mind that much." Peter Sobczynski eFILMCRITIC "pretty standard mean-girls stuff, made enjoyable by the deft casting of Bynes." Jim Lane SACRAMENTO NEWS & REVIEWS "A perky and chaste Y.A. update on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." Lisa Schwarzbaum ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY "A feel-good-about-yourself film, it gives heart and hope to the geek in all of us." Robin Clifford REELING REVIEWS "Screenwriter Chad Gomez Creasey cutely updates the 'Snow White' fairy tale (instead of a magic mirror, Rachel consults a MySpace popularity poll) and writes scenes that play up Bynes' bubbly personality." Sean Means SALT LAKE TRIBUNE "Bynes still has plenty of charm, and Sydney White is too sweet and innocuous to damage her career. If she really wants to grow up on screen, though, she needs to graduate to better roles." Loey Lockerby KANSAS CITY STAR

The Inside Story The story of Sydney White’s creation begins with an unusual player: a young man in graduate school. Screenwriter Chad Gomez Creasey came up with the fractured fairy-tale concept and wrote the script during his time studying with the Peter Stark Producing Program at the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television. Killing time at a coffee shop before class, he was inspired to pen a story that brought a unique twist to seven of the most misunderstood characters in popular literary culture. Gomez Creasey recalls of the heroine and her crew that inspired his story: "I thought of the 'Snow White' fairy tale, because she’s such a great character, but then I thought the dwarfs were seven characters ripe to be utilized in a way we haven’t seen." This thesis project from the aspiring screenwriter became the tale of a plumber’s daughter named Sydney who had lost her mother at a young age. When it is time for her to start a new life at college, she believes that the best way to connect with her mother is to pledge her mom’s sorority, Kappa Phi Nu. At Southern Atlantic University, she discovers she has to give up a big part of who she is to become a member of the in crowd. Sydney makes a choice to abandon life in the sorority, leaving her at the mercy of overflow housing, with seven dorky guys. Buoyed by her time with them, Sydney is ready to start a war against the reigning class…with herself at the charge. Gomez Creasey found the comedy in focusing his story not just on Sydney’s struggles, but also on her band of outcasts. He knew there were seven men whose backgrounds in the classic story collected by the Brothers Grimm (in which the heroine’s original name was Snowdrop) could be updated, expanded and explored. "I was that goober dork who lived in graduate school housing, which happened to flank Greek Row at USC. When I would walk to classes every day, I would pass by these huge and beautiful fraternity and sorority houses; inevitably to walk back Thursday night to pass by the giant, raging keggers," he recalls. Creasey ran the concept by his fellow classmate and girlfriend (now co-producer and wife), Dara Resnik Creasey, who loved the idea of a tomboy girl-next-door who comes to a Greek-ruled campus and shakes things up. Gomez Creasey finished the script and gave it to his producing partner to begin shopping about town. After graduation, Resnik Creasey went to work on a comedy-drama starring Hilary Duff, "A Cinderella Story". During her time on the set, she would fortuitously meet and develop a working relationship with producer Clifford Werber ("A Cinderella Story"). Resnik Creasey recalls the day Werber came out of his office and said, "I have a great idea for a sequel to A Cinderella Story. It’s called Snow White and the Seven Dorks, and it’s the 'Snow White' story set in college." Creasey brought Chad’s script to work, put it on Werber's desk and said, "All right, I’ve got it right here." He read it. They we sold it one month later. Werber brought the project to Morgan Creek Productions, where CEO James G Robinson ("Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" & "The Good Shepherd") and fellow producer David Robinson ("Georgia Rule" & "Chill Factor") responded to the fresh take on the centuries-old fairy tale. James Robinson felt the script’s comedic exploration of the themes of "romance, acceptance and rejection" would appeal to a young, new audience. The Morgan Creek team and Werber turned to up and coming director Joe Nussbaum to helm the film. "I’ve really only worked with young casts. The first movie I did was set in junior high, and the second movie was about high schoolers visiting college; now this movie is set in college. I’m slowly working my way up," Nussbaum said. In Gomez Creasey’s script, Nussbaum saw a world of comic potential. Of the campus universe where the war between the ruling and oppressed strata begins, he summarizes, "It’s small enough that the minority of Greek students controls many of the student activities." "We credit Joe for the personalities of the dorks," says Resnik Creasey. "He helped us define each one of them and made them very specific archetypes. I think everyone’s going to find a dork that they can relate to." "I think if it was some other fairy tale where it was just about a girl at college, a prince and a queen, it might not have been as interesting. The presence of seven dorky guys; with all their quirks and all their nerdiness; that really lured me because those are my favorite types of characters," says Nussbaum. With the shooting script, producers and director in place, the production would turn to the seasoned actress who all agreed, had to be their Sydney White. And that was a young woman with a big résumé: Amanda Bynes. "I loved the comedy aspect of the story. The fact that I befriend these dorks and that my character is dorky. I related to the character, because in real life I am very much that way," the five time Kids' Choice Award winner Bynes said. "Amanda has awesome comic timing," the director relates. "She uses different looks and body language to make sure a scene is funny. She knows how to play a comedic scene; when to give the right pauses and where the laugh is and where it isn’t." Producer James Robinson agrees: "Amanda was our first-draft pick, because she is, in fact, that person. If you watch how she plays this character, she just is Sydney." The queen bee and self-appointed ruler at SAU is Rachel Witchburn, played by nineteen year old actress Sara Paxton, who Paxton relished the opportunity to not only work with her director a second time, but take on the role of the delightfully evil sorority girl, whom she found to be "ridiculous with all her antics; making the sorority girls do this and that and judging them." When it came time to choose his dorks, Nussbaum looked for actors who could play socially arrested, developmentally challenged guys that were key to the comedy beats of Gomez Creasey’s screenplay. He admits, however, he was open to interpretation for the roles. "When someone walked in with a unique voice or a unique persona, we could actually tailor a dork to them. That’s what happened with Jeremy Howard, who plays Terrance. He was so funny and quirky and interesting that I started working with Chad on getting a character for Terrance that would be perfect for him." Howard ["Galaxy Quest" (1999), "The Grinch" (2000) and "Men in Black II" (2002)] describes his character as, "a genius when it comes to mathematics, chemical equations and algorithms. But when it comes to life, street smarts and talking to people, he just doesn’t have a clue." Jack Carpenter was selected to play the 'sneezy' dork, Lenny. When he came to read for the part, Nussbaum felt "he was just right on the money." Carpenter particularly liked the physical comedy the part afforded him. The cast of dorks was completed with the casting of Samm Levine as the constantly horny, lovelorn Spanky; Danny Strong as the grumpy web guru Gurkin; Arnie Pantoja as the dopey Tiger Guide, George; Adam Hendershott as the painfully bashful Jeremy, who is only able to speak through his puppet, Skoozer; and Donté Bonner as Embele, the sleepy foreign-exchange student who just can’t adjust to his new time zone. Of course, it wouldn't be a teen flick without a romantic connection for the lead character. Sydney’s hopeful suitor, who just happens to be Rachel’s ex-boyfriend is Tyler Prince, a young man who comes from the same background as Rachel. That role went to Matt Long, who recently appeared in "Ghost Rider" as the young Johnny Blaze. "Tyler likes Sydney for who she is, because she’s not like all the other girls," notes Bynes. "Syd’s about being who you are and fighting for what you believe in; that’s why he falls for my character." Long relished shooting a film versus the grueling schedule of his television days, when he shot seven pages of script a day. Of the difference, he notes, "The first two weeks of shooting "Jack & Bobby" meant sixteen hour days on a soundstage; we were filming scenes left and right. And we’ve been on location for "Sydney White". It’s just gone really smoothly." The bulk of Sydney White was filmed in the Orlando, Florida, metropolitan area, at the private Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. Interiors for the film’s Kappa sorority house, where Sydney goes through hazing hell, and the Beta fraternity house, where Tyler lives and reigns, were shot at the University of Central Florida. To capture the exteriors of the fraternities and sororities along Greek Row, as well as the dilapidated Vortex in which Syd and the dorks reside, the production found a row of homes in Orlando away from the campus that were ideal for four time Canadian Society of Cinematographers Award winning director of photography Mark Irwin A.S.C to capture on film. Pivotal to the story is the point at which, according to Bynes, her character moves into "the Vortex where all the dorks live. As Sydney, I need a place to stay after I am kicked out of my sorority." The films Production designer Mark Garner, whose work will next be seen in "Dan in Real Life", created a shamble of a building that was so in need of repair it should be condemned. "The Vortex is actually based on my best friend’s basement. As kids, we called it the Vortex, because it literally has this tendency to suck you in and never let you go; that’s where we found ourselves hanging out every day of every summer," Gomez Creasey explained. How will "Sydney White" sit with audiences then? "I think it’s going to be a lot of fun for the audience, especially to find the nods to Snow White in Sydney White," says Nussbaum. Producer James G Robinson believes, "Young women will get the joke; older women will get the joke. And young guys? They’ll like looking at lots of pretty girls." Synopsis

Sydney White has dreamed of following in her mother’s footsteps and being a Kappa Phi Nu sister since she was a little girl. Now a freshman at Southern Atlantic University, this pledge isn't your typical sorority girl. Raised by her widower father Paul since she was nine, Sydney is more comfortable wielding a power drill than she is power shopping. Unfortunately, this doesn’t sit well with the powerful, sorority and student body president, Rachel Witchburn, especially when campus stud Tyler Prince appears smitten with Sydney. Soon, Sydney finds herself living in the 'Vortex', a makeshift haven on Greek Row for seven misfit male students. A "dork" at heart herself, Sydney decides to empower her housemates and all the disenfranchised students at the university and take the school back from the fraternities and sororities. With the campus election coming up, Sydney goes on the campaign trail.

The Verdict "Amanda Bynes hits the screen in another film that relies heavily on her young looks, facial expressions and good acting skills. That's the pity of "Sydney White". Bynes deserves better than this, especially after her performance in "Hairspray"! You'd be forgiven for not noticing this film is touted as a modern day telling of the old fairytale "Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs", after all, it's working title was "Sydney White and the Seven Dorks". "Sydney White", a campus film about rivalry amongst students in their freshman year at Southern Atlantic University works well thanks to the generous performances by it's cast members. If you're a tweenie or a teenage girl then "Sydney White" will provide pretty good value. Girls, go see it with your girlfriends or make this film an opportunity to enjoy some 'special time' with your mum. Good fun for the 'younger' cinemagoers. 3 STARS." Cast & Crew Bytes "SYDNEY WHITE" stars .......
Amanda Bynes ["Big Fat Liar", "What a Girl Wants", "She's The Man" and "Hairspray"]; Matt Long ["The Greatest Adventure of My Life", "Reflections" and "Ghost Rider"]; John Schneider ["Cocaine Wars", "Speed Zone!" and "Come the Morning"]; Jeremy Howard ["The Haunted Mansion", "Lady In The Water" and "Accepted"]; Crystal Hunt ["The Derby Stallion"] and Sara Paxton ["Haunted Lighthouse", "Sleepover" and "Aquamarine"] as Rachel.
"SYDNEY WHITE" was .......
directed by Joe Nussbaum ["George Lucas In Love" and "Sleepover"]; screenplay by Chad Gomez Creasey ["Great Lengths"]; art direction by Andrew White ["The Walking Dead"]; costume design by Beverly Safier ["Knights of the City", "The Lay of the Land" and "The Way Back Home"]; production design by Mark Garner ["The Notebook", "Miami Vice" and "Dan in Real Life"]; edited by Danny Saphire ["Frontline", "Dumped" and "Inside Out"]; director of photography Mark Irwin ["Freddy Got Fingered", "American Pie 2" and "Old School"]; original music by Deborah Lurie ["George Lucas In Love", "Sleepover" and "Drop Dead Sexy"]. Who's Who?

Amanda Bynes Sara Paxton Matt Long Jack Carpenter Jeremy Howard Crystal Hunt Adam Hendershott Danny Strong Samm Levine Libby Mintz John Schneider Arnie Pantoja Donté Bonner Brian Patrick Clarke Lauren Leech Cree Ivey Ashley Drane Lisandra Vazquez Chris Carberg Kierstin Koppel Jeff Chase Jo Beth Locklear Tait Moline

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Sydney White Rachel Tyler Prince Lenny Terrence Lubinecki Demetria Rosemead 'Dinky' Hotchkiss Jeremy Gurkin Spanky Christy Paul White George Embele Professor Carleton Katy Young Sydney White Alicia Amy Moose Goth Girl Big Ron Flirty Girl Danny the Tranny

Run Time 108 minutes Rated PG [AUST] Copyright ©2008 - Universal - All Rights Reserved ©2008 All Rights Reserved - Protected by Australian, International, Copyright & Trademark Laws.