Ten Things I Hate About You

10 Things I Hate About You by by Gil Junger (Touchstone Pictures) ASIN: B00000K31Q

Plot Summary

The movie is a retelling of Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew set in a Seattle high school (the actual high school used for establishing shots in the film was Stadium high in Tacoma).  Cameron, new to Padua High School falls in love with Bianca, but finds that she isn't allowed to date until her obstreperous (read "free thinking feminist") sister dates first.  Cameron and his friend Michael concoct a scheme to pay outcast Patrick Verona to take Katarina out (after raiding her room to discover her interests, which include feminist rock bands like Bikini Kill and the Raincoats), and he agrees.  During their time together Verona falls for Kat.  Cameron comes to find that Bianca is shallow and not interested in him.  Things change when Cameron gives Bianca a ride home from a party and Kat discovers that Verona has been paid to date her.

Critical Evaluation

Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, and Joseph Gordon Levitt turn in wonderful performances as Kat, Verona, and Cameron respectively.  Stiles' performance makes it clear that Kat only appears aggressive to characters who are fools because she will not suffer them, for the audience she is imminently likeable.  Ledger's Verona is immediately charming despite being brusque and somewhat imposing, and his performance of "Can't Take My Eyes of You" is a classic and memorable film moment.  Though the material is slight, Ledger is able to show the range of his talent that would later be used to full effect in films like Brokeback Mountain and The Dark Knight Rises.

Reader’s Annotation

Bianca can't date Cameron (or anyone else) until her sister starts dating.  But there's an easy solution: just pay the school's biggest outcast to take her out.

Information about the author

From the Internet Movie Database: 

Gil Junger began his career in Hollywood by attending the University of Texas at Austin's Radio, TV, and Film School. After graduating, he became a gofer. He moved into directing television, and has worked on such series as "Dharma & Greg" (1997) and "The Golden Girls" (1985). He was nominated for an Emmy and a Director's Guild Award for directing the episode of "Ellen" (1994), in which the lead character reveals that she is a lesbian. He broke into feature film directing with 10 Things I Hate About You (1999). He is an avid photographer, golfer, and musician, and is in a band called "Mid-Life Crisis". (Dicker, 2013)

Genre

Motion Picture

Curriculum Ties

The movie is a reworking of Taming of the Shrew and could be useful when paired with that play, especially in considerations of how Katarina ought to be perceived.

Booktalking Ideas

1.  Focus on the relationship between Verona and Katarina.

2. Screen the Heath Ledger song and dance scene discussed above.

Reading Level/Interest Age

9th grade and up.

Challenge Issues

Language; Drinking and tobacco use; Discussion of Sex. 

I would openly greet any patron who presented a challenge to the work, giving them ample time to detail their complaint.  I would listen attentively.  To respond to these challenges I would have some reviews of the work on hand.   I would be prepared to explain that as a public institution libraries "cannot limit access on the basis of age or other characteristics" (ALA, 1999).  I would have copies of the library's collection policy on hand.  I would be prepared to politely discuss that parents can control what their children are exposed to by coming to the library with them and examining books they check out.  If the Teen Advisory Group had written reviews of the work I'd have them handy.  While it may be of little comfort to certain parents, I would also be prepared to discuss my staunch support of intellectual freedom and abhorrence of censorship.  As a last resort, I would be sure to keep copies or a reconsideration form on hand.

Why did you include this book in the titles you selected?

Franky, it's one of my favorite teen movies.  I've seen it half a dozen times or more.  It's also recently been adapted into a television show.

References

American Library Association. (1999). Strategies and tips for dealing with challenges to library materials. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/banned/challengeslibrarymaterials/copingwithchallenges/strategiestips 


Dicker, M. (2013) Mini-biography: Gil Junger. Retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0432627/bio