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From Justin and Kelly…by Sharon Rose -- 06/23/2003
View Printable version of this article "Ahhhhh . . . that was so cute." The 13- and 14-year-old critics sitting ahead of me during the first night's showing of the American Idol film, From Justin To Kelly, loved the movie. And they are exactly the audience this movie was geared toward. The title could have easily been changed to From Justin and Kelly to signify the built-in audience this rushed-production film catered to. Lots of singing from the first season of American Idol favorites, some very cool dance moves from the stars and the extras (kudos to the choreographer), and even a well-placed reference to Sideshow Bob (in regards to Justin's luxurious head of curls) to bring back the warm-fuzzies of American Idol 1. This movie is no To Kill A Mockingbird, and it never was intended to be. It was just a push to keep these two attractive Idols in the public eye as they advanced on their musical careers. And it allowed both Justin and Kelly an opportunity to stretch their artistic muscles a bit in a fluffy, feel-good movie that doesn't warrant the scrupulous critiquing of a serious flick. It's fun, pure and simple. The premise of the movie recalls the carefree days of Spring Break, when the most serious concern college students faced was where the best party on the beach was going to be held. And would their bikini be revealing enough to attract the attention of the sharks who hunted out of the water. The rushed production schedule of this movie didn't allow enough time for proper script development or an accommodating shooting schedule (Justin and Kelly are bundled up against frost – in a Florida beach movie? – in the boating scene where the love ballad, “Timeless,” is beautifully performed). Even the jerky bridges from one scene to the next, however, don't take away from the maximum screen time both Idols share. Fans of Justin and Kelly came to see them on the big screen, and this movie didn't disappoint. Other notables are the suave and muscular Brandon (Greg Siff), dorky-only-on-screen Eddie (Brian Dietzen), the good-friend Kaya (Anika Noni Rose), and the delicately beautiful and devious Alexa (Katherine Bailess). Katherine's dance scene at Pearl proved she was the professional dancer in the group. And although I loved the sweetness and loyalty of Anika's character, I found myself wondering more than once how Tamyra Gray would have done in the role. The movie builds to the expected climax – the kiss between Justin and Kelly – OK, I didn't see fireworks – and ends on a predictably happy note. My movie picks and pans are as follows: Picks: Justin's natural on-screen air and sexy dance moves; Kelly's better-than-anticipated acting ability; the group dance scenes; all of the songs, especially “Timeless”; great casting of the leads and supporting actors; the girls' costumes Pans: lack of proper makeup on the stars (Kelly is adorable when made up correctly, but her make-up looked worn off and her eyebrows were over-tweezed; Justin's skin tone changed dramatically from scene to scene); this was a beach movie – why didn't Justin ever remove his shirt?; poor bridges between scenes (the time frame references were for one week on Spring Break, yet the action only covered two days); the overdone Sideshow Bob reference. If you go expecting to find a lighthearted, carefree summer movie, you won't be disappointed. Be sure to sign up for the RealityNewsOnline/FoxesOnIdol e-mail update so you can stay informed about new articles on both sites! For all of our articles, check out our sections on American Idol, American Juniors, Fame, and Canadian Idol. Also make sure to check out RealityNewsOnline for recaps and articles covering other reality TV shows. For even more news about reality TV, be sure to check SirLinksALot! View Printable version of this article
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