Reviews

The A-List is an anomalous attempt to make a quirky teen comedy out of a melancholic story about an unethical and mentally imbalanced guidance counselor who now works at her former high school. A two decades old heartbreak - stemming from a nice, popular male student's gentle rejection to date her - has somehow devolved into an unfathomable victimization of a teen student, who is the son of the aforementioned high schooler.

In this film's alternate reality, a school-sanctioned popularity list is a daily concern amongst attractive, accomplished honor students. Apparently, it's not enough to be popular based on appearance, wealth, grades, and extracurricular activities; ranking on the A-List is of primary importance to either their narcissism or perceived self-worth. The few cheap laughs (more like snickers) and mostly talented cast add little to this sordid fantasy of a teen boy pimped out (exploited) under threat, to complete a predatory woman's old high school bucket list.

At the film's "happy" end, when the superficiality of their A-List is revealed (paging Captain Obvious), we are supposed to believe that everybody is better off after the stalking, blackmail, and passive-aggressive cruelty that was launched by a disturbed authority figure. The supporting characters of student narcissists and sociopaths, and creepers like the school's male principal with a proclivity for naughty talk to teens, ultimately leads nowhere...

but somewhere, John Hughes is metaphorically rolling in his grave.

Absolute RUBBISH. This film is meant to be shocking while poking fun at those who seek out the NYC private school system and to offend the intellectuals that operate from within. However, it fails miserably to that end, and the female protagonist ends up as one of them. So it has a confusing message with little creativity to get you there. A boring premise combined with tacky, tasteless humor that is even spoken in the presence of a young child. For those somewhat sensitive, it does flaunt racist comments, adult themes (including prostitutes and simulated intercourse), and vulgar ideas that are completely unbelievable and idiotic - like accusing someone of pedophilia to get a kid into an elite school. Also, no wealthy elite would accept obvious texting/sexting as brilliant poetry to be applauded.

It's like some recent film school graduate thought their script idea was utterly brilliant and hilarious beyond measure, when clearly they are simply using their connections in the industry, or disposable wealth, to produce a terrible film with no merit. I love snarky comedies when they are done smartly, but this had us yawning and eye rolling. There are so many great scripts that never get made...and then there's this brain-dead junk. SKIP IT.