Film Review: Down to You (2000)

In late 1990s and early 2000s one of the most common complaints against Hollywood teen comedies was their authors’ tendency to cast actors in their 20s or even older to play teenagers. While some of those actors even built their stardom on such roles, practice was becoming annoying. Some of those actors, on the other hand, tried to avoid potentially fatal typecasting by occasionally playing character that matched their age. An example can be found in Down to You, 2000 romantic comedy written and directed by Kris Isacsson.

Freddie Prinze Jr., the star of late 1990s teen films, here plays Alfred “Al” Connelly, sophomore student at New York City college. He dreams of following the footsteps of his father Ray (played by Henry Winkler) and becoming world famous chef. At the college he has met Imogen (played by Julia Stiles), freshman and aspiring artist with whom he started romantic relationship. Two of them soon start living together, but the idyll doesn’t last long. Imogen fears that she is too young for serious relationship, while Al begins to doubt whether he made a right choice. Imogen ultimately cheats on him, breaks up with Al and leaves for San Francisco. Al only then realises that Imogen was true love of his life and starts using all kind of bizarre methods to cure himself of depression.

Down to You represented an attempt to provide romantic comedy that would be different than teen-themed examples of the genre, characteristic for the period. Apart from Prinze and Stiles actually playing characters that are slightly older, the tone is little bit more serious and adult and, unlike most romantic comedies, the romantic relationship between two main characters is established at the beginning instead of the end. Main characters are finally allowed to do what young adults are supposed to do – drink, smoke and openly discuss sex. Another interesting detail of Down to You is film being partially set in New York art demi-monde, including bizarre characters like Al’s room mate and porn director Monk (played by Zak Orth) who serves as some kind of Greek chorus and Al’s sexually frustrated friend Eddie Hicks (played by Shawn Hatosy). Isacsson, however, made a fatal mistake by agreeing to make this films within the limits of PG-13 rating, making many of potentially subversive content look annoyingly “bowdlerised”, while the romantic comedy cliches remained intact. Although Down to You had couple of likeable scenes, more experienced viewers are going to be left with impression that they saw it all in much better films. Film was initially greeted poorly by critics and audience alike and now can be recommended only to the most loyal fans of Prinze and Stiles.

RATING: 3/10 (+)

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