Clueless (1995)

Directed by Amy Heckerling. Starring Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd, Brittany Murphy, Stacey Dash, Justin Walker, Donald Faison, Dan Hedaya, Breckin Meyer, Jeremy Sisto, Elisa Donovan, Wallace Shawn, Twink Caplan, Julie Brown. [PG-13]

Disarmingly fresh, funny, and clever look at the lifestyles of spoiled Beverly Hills teens, centering on chic, popular Cher (Silverstone), a self-aware sort of airhead who’s not dumb…just, well, clueless. The fact that she and her close friends—including best friend Dionne (Dash), as they “were both named after famous singers of the past who now do infomercials”—are designed as being sharper than they look (and good-natured, to boot) is as much a key to its success as the keen, slang-heavy writing (inspired by Jane Austen’s “Emma”) and spot-on performances. Launching a few careers, a good percentage of the cast would never top their work here. Flags toward the end, and it lacks the razor edge to the satire that might have put it over the top, but it’s hard not to be won over by the fizzy charms of this sleeper hit. Captures the milieu of its era and zip code quite well, too, with a soundtrack full of catchy tunes, from Jill Soluble’s “Supermodel” to an “oldie” like General Public’s “Tenderness.” The Mighty, Mighty Bosstones make an appearance. Later turned into a TV series and a stage musical.

74/100