A short time earlier than Captain America and Black Widow have been kicking villainous behinds, Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson have been scheming to steal the long run… effectively, form of. 2004’s The Good Rating paired the long run A-listers up for a really completely different sort of mission the place the stakes have been good SAT scores as an alternative of a hefty payday. However for a bunch of teenagers determined to interrupt free from the stress cooker of highschool, which may as effectively be the identical factor.

What this heist dramedy does is take the traditional caper formulation and commerce high-tech devices and vaults for a plan to swipe the solutions to the SATs. Mixing humor, teen angst, and a contact of riot, The Good Rating completely captures that early 2000s vibe full with a pop-punk soundtrack, loads of denim, and a boldness that’s uncommon nowadays. Evans performs the charming insurgent, Johansson the too-cool-for-school artist, and their rag-tag crew delivers all of the chaos one would anticipate when a bunch of youngsters attempt to pull off a “good” crime. On the finish of the day, it will not be probably the most formidable heist flick on the market, however it’s a time capsule of pre-superhero Hollywood and a reminder that even Marvel heroes needed to begin someplace.

‘The Good Rating’ Is Extra About Bonding Than Breaking Into Vaults

Summing all of it up, The Good Rating is a highschool film with coronary heart. Whereas it’s technically a film about breaking right into a testing facility to steal the solutions to the SATs, the narrative leans extra into the relationships solid alongside the way in which. In its personal approach, the movie is much less like Ocean’s Eleven and a bit extra like The Breakfast Membership with an additional splash of riot. It throws collectively an unlikely group of teenagers comprising Kyle (Chris Evans), the dreamer; Francesca (Scarlett Johansson), the artsy cynic; Matty (Bryan Greenberg) the lovesick goofball; and Anna (Erika Christensen), the overachiever. There’s additionally Desmond (Darius Miles), the basketball star below stress, and Roy (Leonardo Nam), the lovable stoner. At first, they couldn’t be extra completely different in the event that they tried. Nevertheless, their shared desperation to ace the SATs brings them collectively.

Maybe the precise promoting level right here is how The Good Rating makes use of the heist as a backdrop for his or her struggles. Although they’re as completely different as day and evening, every character has a singular and legitimate purpose for wanting to drag off the caper. Because the plan unfolds — and inevitably falls aside — it’s their budding friendship that steals the highlight and by the tip, the SAT solutions really feel nearly irrelevant. So, whereas everybody loves an excellent heist film, the true win right here isn’t their bid to ace the take a look at, however how they discovered unlikely kindred spirits in one another even when their plan went up in smoke.

‘The Good Rating’ Is a Time Capsule of Teen Revolt and Actual-World Points

A great teen film is rarely full with out some over-the-top commentary on the struggles of rising up. In that regard and extra, The Good Rating ticks all of the bins after which some as a result of whereas it’s a heist film on paper, it’s additionally a playful jab on the ridiculous stress teenagers face to plan their futures round a single take a look at rating. As an illustration, Kyle’s frustration is over being rejected from structure faculty due to his SAT rating and this highlights how unfairly this single take a look at defines college students. There’s additionally Anna, who’s so obsessive about acing the SATs that she has follow exams all over the place she goes. Desmond worries that his athletic scholarship depends upon a rating he is aware of received’t replicate his true intelligence. Every concern is as relatable as the following and The Good Rating brings all these anxieties to life, albeit with a little bit of exaggeration for comedic impact.

The Good Rating is undoubtedly peak early 2000s teen angst, however the movie additionally goals on the one-size-fits-all system that reduces children to numbers with out being heavy-handed in its messaging. It additionally presents a comfortable touchdown for its critique utilizing some good ‘ol customary humor and absurdity. Take the scene the place Kyle tries to memorize the SAT solutions prematurely however finally ends up zoning out whereas looking at a surreal motivational poster. It’s such a goofy have a look at the real-life phenomenon of panic-cramming for exams. Much more, it makes viewers root for these characters as a result of they’re attempting to do one thing that’s relatable, cathartic, and excessive. By the tip of all of it, and as anticipated, the group realizes that stealing the solutions received’t resolve their issues. That’s the place a transparent message emerges — generally the system wants questioning, however actual progress comes from discovering out who you might be.

The Good Rating is offered to stream on Paramount+ within the U.S.

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