If there was a pitch for the movie The Perfect Score, then it probably went something like this: “Hey! Let’s make The Breakfast Club again, but let’s have the characters actually do something!”
It’s doubtful, however, that some hapless screenwriter pitched this movie – it’s more likely that a bunch of studio executives decided to cash in on an old idea by making it shiny and new.
It’s unfortunate, though, because The Perfect Score, with all the talent and money it assembled, had a chance to say something important about the power of individuality and the problems associated with a standardized society. Instead, the film only reinforced the stereotypes it set out to triumph over.
The premise of the movie is this: seven high school students – a jock, a brain, a rich girl, a stoner and two regular guys – set out to steal the answers to the Standard Aptitude Test (SAT). In doing so, they realize that they’re not so different after all. Also, they find love and group therapy. Sound familiar?
The film opens with the main character, Kyle (Chris Evans), making an average score on the SAT. As a result, Kyle, whose dream it is to go to Cornell University, is advised by a guidance counselor to opt for a nice community college instead.
Enter his best friend and fellow normal guy, Matty (Bryan Greenberg), whose dream is to be with his faithless girlfriend at University of Maryland, but is stopped by, you guessed it, low SAT scores.
For some reason, the two go directly to SAT headquarters, which, luckily, is in their hometown. When they arrive, they demand to see someone who can: a) change their test scores, or b) help them better understand the reasoning behind the SAT.
While the reason for the visit is not clear, it doesn’t matter anyway because, as the guard says, “If I let every kid who wanted to complain about their SAT scores up there, then we’d have a full house.”
After this initial discouragement, the two choose another tactic. Instead of taking a chance on studying, re-taking the test and performing poorly again, they decide to buck the system by stealing the test.
To do this, they enlist some help: Francesca, a poor-little-rich-girl, played by the voluptuous Scarlett Johansson; Anna (Erika Christensen), a stressed-out, over-achieving good girl, who despite her salutatorian status, can’t seem to make the grade on the SAT; Desmond (Darius Miles), an all-state basketball player who will disappoint his mother if he goes to the NBA before going to college first; and the stoner-genius Roy, creepily played by Leonardo Nam.
The problem with The Perfect Score is not the talent, however. The problem is the script. The characters are one-dimensional and stereotypical, which is ironic considering the film’s constant battle cry against conformity to the “system.”
Poor Scarlett Johansson has the worst of it. As a rebellious rich girl with a philandering father, she trounces into one scene after another in black eyeliner and a short skirt, with FeFe Dobson’s angry song, “Daddy”, playing in the background.
The screenwriter even acknowledges the cardboard character he created, when Johansson’s character says, “I know, the poor-little-rich-girl thing’s played out.” It’s a far cry from Girl with a Pearl Earring and Lost in Translation, eh Scarlett?
Another ridiculous character is the stoner Roy, played by Leonardo Nam, who, in spite of having a 0.0 GPA, is able to perform mathematical equations that Stephen Hawking would have trouble with.
After years of hitting the bong, Roy, of course, ends up becoming a multi-billionaire by designing video games. Oh, and he’s Asian American. No stereotypes here.
The script fails in other ways, too. In the beginning, the characters start a case against standardized testing, saying that it’s only done because it’s a cheap way to get results and that it’s possibly racist and sexist. But these arguments aren’t pursued.
In fact, you never really find out why the SAT is so bad except that it’s difficult and it’s important for getting into college.
But that doesn’t necessarily make something an evil threat to individuality. Therefore, you never gain much sympathy for these kids.
They’ve heard foggy notions against standardized testing and they attempt to use these notions to convince us what they’re doing is okay.
The problem is that they’re not really trying to overhaul the system – they’re just trying to make it to the top of the system by cheating. They’re not exactly the revolutionaries the film makes them out to be.
The Perfect Score is a disappointment. Unlike its predecessor, The Breakfast Club, The Perfect Score doesn’t challenge stereotypical thinking. It only encourages it.
The Perfect Score from Paramount Pictures is rated PG-13 for language, sexual content and some drug references.

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