A Seth Pohorence Pop-Ed: Remember When Rachel Leigh Cook Was a Thing?

You guys remember when Rachel Leigh Cook was a thing? Seriously, I’m asking you if you remember, because I don’t.

This past Friday, I was just spending the night surfing the channels with my girlfriend when she happened upon She’s All That. It’s a guilty pleasure of mine to watch really bad teen-oriented films form the 1990s, especially if Freddie Prinze Jr. or Matthew Lillard is in it.

For those who were not in junior high or high school in the late 1990s, She’s All That was one of those films that takes place at the most unrealistic of high schools and involves the most unrealistic of situations playing out. The school has a DJ who happens to be Usher. Matthew Lillard is supposed to be someone famous, which never happened. Worse yet, Tim Matheson plays a dad? What universe is this!?

It took me nearly five minutes to think of Rachel Leigh Cook’s name. When I say “to think of her name,” I mean I stumble, fumbling names, until my girlfriend said, “you mean Rachel Leigh Cook.” I was right in regards to her being known by three names. During the 1990s, all noted female teen celebrities had three names (Melissa Joan Hart, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Tiffani Amber Thiessen, etc.)

What happened to Matt Lillard? I know he is not relevant anymore, but is he even doing anything?

Elden Henson is in the film, playing Laney’s friend Jesse Jackson ... Let that sink in. Elden Henson was Fulton Reed in the Mighty Ducks films. This was during Elden’s “fat Fulton Reed period.”

Paul Walker (rest in peace, homey) plays the asshole, Dean Sampson Jr. It would be great to know who Dean Sampson Sr. was and who would have played him. Jean Claude Van Damme? Dolph Lundgren?

Taylor Vaughn, played by Jodi Lyn O’Keefe, plays Freddie’s bitch ex-girlfriend. I just Wiki’d her name just to remember why I don’t remember her either.

To make sure all teen movies have every ethnicity represented, Gabrielle Union, Lil’ Kim and Dule Hill are also in the movie. When I say every ethnicity, the filmmakers made sure at least a few black actors and actresses were in their in very minor supporting roles.

Supposedly M. Night Shyamalan was a screenwriter on this film. I’ll let that sink in too.

While I’ll still watch this movie whenever it’s on, I think this is one of the dumbest movies I have seen. That’s even taking account that Stewart Copeland of The Police did the music. I’m more than certain my girlfriend was even less pleased when I suggested watching Richie Rich after this film finished. That was the first time I ever saw that film, but that’s another post all itself.