Premise: I Love You, Beth Cooper revolves around the nerdy and socially inept Denis Cooverman. A high school valedictorian who during his commencement speech declares his vast affection for head cheerleader Beth Cooper. She is the school princess that he has worshiped for years from afar. Denis also takes the opportunity to shoot down all of the fellow classmates that have made the last four years of his life a living hell. The story then turns into a first night of freedom adventure where Beth takes Denis on a John Hughes-esque odyssey involving reckless driving, underage drinking, bully beat downs, and even a girls locker room shower party.
Love: The Book. Written by former Simpsons writer and first time author Larry Doyle. The book I Love You, Beth Cooper was released in summer of 2007. I had never even heard or known it was a book until a few weeks before the release of the movie, which I originally had no interest in seeing. I saw numerous copies on display at the local Barnes & Noble, and recognized the title. On the back cover there were heaps of praise from great authors Tom Perrotta and Dave Barry, not to mention a stellar Entertainment Weekly review. I was intrigued enough to try it out.
The novel is a wonderful little read, and it moves like lightning. This book is full of wit, laughs, and painfully honest and accurate moments in the life of a teen. Denis is a smart and likable character. I found him very easy to admire, pity, and root for. Beth is a sassy wild-child that respects the sweet gesture, and is more than happy to return the favor.
Every chapter begins brilliantly as a portrait of Denis's face is shown that depicts the deteriorating physical and emotional state of our hero. At the bottom of every picture is a quote from a series of teen films over the past fifty years that help set up the events for the upcoming chapter.
The book gets pretty racy at times, and is very descriptive of how teenagers think and feel about the opposite sex. The language and content are hardly extreme, but would never fit into the confines of a non R Rated film. I was sure that much of the juicier content was going to be left on the cutting room floor.
I'm glad I gave this book a chance, and if it had existed while I was in high school then I'm sure I would have loved it even more. I find it vaguely humorous that a book created essentially from numerous situations in teen movies would be turned into a movie itself. It should have remained just a book.
Hate: The Movie. The film version of I Love You, Beth Cooper is a mostly bland experience that lacks heart, humor, and most importantly inspired performances. Hayden Panettiere had the potential to be a fine pick for Beth Cooper. She has got the appropriate look and age of the character, but I never believed her performance for a minute. She never shares an honest connection with the Denis character, and she constantly looks like she wants to be elsewhere. The sweetness of the character just never emerges. Denis (Paul Rust) somewhat overplays his hand, and makes the character too much of a nerd. He is a nice enough guy, but the sympathy wasn't there. The rest of the cast is just one big total cliche: His not-quite-out-of-the-closet and annoying best friend, her stupid and slutty girlfriends, and the jock jarhead boyfriend on a constant mission to murder Denis.
The film does manage to follow the book almost scene for scene as the group drifts in and out of parties, their high school, and hideouts in the woods. Everything feels rushed, and just seems to jump around a lot. I was surprised what did and didn't make it into the final cut of the film. Cocaine references, crotch shots, and cow tipping are all here. However, Beth touching a creepy store clerk's dick for beer is gone. The awkward dry hump session between Beth and Denis is missing. And the final climatic battle between Denis and Kevin (the jock) has vanished.
A few bright spots do manage to emerge. I really liked Alan Ruck and Cynthia Stevenson as Mr. and Mrs. Cooverman. They are funny, supportive, and are not afraid to act like frisky teens themselves. I also must note that the shameless School's Out by Alice Cooper sing-a-long worked rather well for me considering it was a ritual I took part in myself.
There is a scene in both the book and the film where after yet another un-goddess like act from Beth, Denis blurts out "She's not Beth Cooper" as he realizes that his dream girl was not the object of perfection he so desired. After reading the book, and then seeing the film I knew just how he felt. The Book: A- The Movie: C-
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