Review by J1 Reporter Anna Cacioppo

“10 Things I Hate About You” is a romantic comedy starring Julia Stiles as Kat Stratford and Heath Ledger as Patrick Verona. Kat’s uptight and feminist ways makes her a social pariah, opposite to her very popular younger sister Bianca. Their strict father makes a rule that Bianca can date when Kat does. New kid Cameron James is enthralled by Bianca so he convinces rich kid Joey Donner to pay the school bad boy, Patrick Verona, to take Kat out on a date. While Patrick has trouble at first getting Kat to open up, over time and through some well executed meetings, Kat comes to trust him. Cameron takes his chance while Joey is distracted to swoop in and woo Bianca. Unfortunately she was using him to get dating rights for Joey but she discovers Joey’s true personality and runs back into Cameron’s arms. Everything is going smoothly until the big secret is revealed and Patrick must pull out all the stops to win Kat back. 

“10 Things I Hate About You” is based on Shakespeare’s play “The Taming of the Shrew” and follows the same loose storyline but adapted for 1999 high school culture. Director Gil Junger created a masterpiece of a film with a 1 hour 37 minute runtime and a rating of PG-13. This movie is available on Disney Plus, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. 

When I say this movie is a masterpiece, I truly mean it. The relationship between Kat and Patrick is truly compelling and makes for an enthralling watch. They are both outcast in their own way and bond over not fitting society’s mold. The character of Joey is so well done that you cannot stop yourself from hating him as the movie progresses. He is a typical spoiled rich kid who gets everything he wants until he meets his match in the form of Bianca’s fist. 

My only complaint is Cameron and Bianca’s relationship. Cameron falls in love with Bianca after watching her walk across the school’s courtyard and embarks on an elaborate plan to win her affections, even though they had never previously interacted. Instant love is a trope that is never well done. Even when the couple is together, their chemistry is flat and they don’t seem to enjoy each other’s company. The lack of romance between the two gets overshadowed by the magnificence that is Kat and Patrick’s relationship so the movie is still interesting. 

The pacing of the movie leaves little room for boredom as it keeps you interested throughout the entire runtime. The romance sets unrealistic expectations because it is that good. As I was watching this I often found myself laughing because the comedy is gold, ranging from silly jokes to more mature ones that will fly over young kids’ heads. A masterclass of writing, acting and romance makes this the best romcom to ever grace the big screen. This movie is a timeless masterpiece and will continue to inspire young romantics for many years to come.