NESPA Winner: Review, 2022

The Harbinger, Algonquin Regional High School, Northborough, MA

The classic 90’s romantic comedy, “10 Things I Hate About You”, directed by Gil Junger, never fails to provide a good laugh and some comfort, still holding up 23 years later.

Based on Shakespreare’s comedy “The Taming of the Shrew”, “10 Things I Hate About You” tells the story of two teenaged sisters, social butterfly Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) and ill-tempered Kat (Julia Stiles), whose protective father decides that Bianca may only date when Kat does—an unlikely scenario given Kat’s antisocial behavior. Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who is quickly infatuated with Bianca after his first day at his new high school, schemes to pay Patrick (Heath Ledger), a mysterious rebel whose ideology clearly conflicts with Kat’s, to take Kat out on a date, therefore allowing Bianca to date as well. The film’s title is based on a poem Kat writes describing the ups and downs of her romance with Patrick.

So what do I love about “10 Things I Hate About You”?

I love Kat’s character. She avoids all of the rite of passages that come along with being a popular high school student who is eager to fit in. Although the movie portrays her as “the shrew,” according to Cameron’s friend Michael (David Krumholtz), she is much more than that, and I utterly agree. Underneath her angry exterior, the viewer can see her maturity, intelligence and thoughtfulness shine through, which becomes more evident as the movie goes on. When in doubt, you can count on Kat’s character to provide honesty, spice and a little comedy.

I love how the age gap between Bianca and Kat is evident. In “10 Things I Hate About You,” Bianca is the definition of a sophomore: naive and eager to fit in. On the other hand, Kat, a senior, has embraced her uniqueness and maturity. Similar to the typical high school experience today, students begin by doing everything in their power to blend in, but leave striving to be their own person.

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