Prom

‘Tis the season, yet we’re not waiting for the jolly fat guy in the red suit. In fact, the only suit we’re looking for right now is usually rented with a free cummerbund and bow tie (or a chiffon-taffeta, poofy gown of some sort). That’s right! It’s prom season, and the Disney folks are paying homage to the night of all high school nights.

Preparations for the enchanted evening are going full speed for Nova Prescott (Aimee Teegarden; fans will recognize her as Julie Taylor from television’s Friday Night Lights). She’s the typical perky socialite, class president, all-around popular girl, yet despite all of her adoring fans and hard work as the chair of the prom planning committee, Nova finds herself without a date. No date for the most important night of her life, or as she puts it, the night when all of the high school divisions fade away and everyone comes together. It seems that everyone around her has been getting asked, and Nova is just waiting for that one special guy. Who would have thought she would have been chosen by the knight in tarnished armor. Jesse Richter (Thomas McDonnell), the bad boy from the other side of the tracks, manages to sweep her off her feet while being forced to help with prom setup. You probably know the rest of the story…

Frankly, I was impressed by this movie. A high school prom movie which has a PG rating is unheard of, let alone one that actually stays true to its PG rating. Missing from this movie: alcohol, wanton sexuality (no back seat of the car shenanigans, no get the hotel room full of half naked drunken teens), lewd gyrations on the dance floor. This movie breaks all of the traditions of the genre and still manages to tell a good tale. Thanks Disney!

For a relatively young and unknown cast, the acting was quite good. Cinematically well done (who would expect anything less from Disney studios?). It is not squeaky clean by Christian standards (there is a whole LOT of mature-type kissing going on), but parents can feel pretty good about letting their teens see the action. In fact, I hope Christian teens across the country take pointers from this film as they themselves prepare for their own prom nights. If there is any one take-away message—Christian teens can have fun without all the usual debauchery on prom night!

Violence: Mild / Profanity: Minor / Sex/Nudity: Moderate

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.

• Positive
• Neutral
• Negative
• Young people