Movie Review ~ Prom Dates

If history (or film history) has taught us anything, high school never changes.  The cliques, the raging hormones, and the pressures stemming from insecurities are still there, just dressed up in clothes from a different era.  From the tubular fun of Fast Times at Ridgemont High, the “as if” adventures in Clueless, the sharp tongues of Mean Girls (both the original and 2024 musical remake), and the poignant Lady Bird, the high school comedy has evolved.  Yet what remains constant are the heartfelt portrayals of teen angst and the transformations everyone goes through on their way to graduation.

Stepping confidently (and often riotously) into these jam-packed halls of laughs is Prom Dates, a Hulu original directed by Kim O. Nguyen and written by D.J. Mausner.  I hadn’t even heard of the movie before it landed in my inbox, but I could tell within the first five minutes that it would be a wild 92-minute and was pleased to see it was so much more than what it appears to be on the surface.  Tapping right into that timeless well of teenage self-doubt, the filmmakers have created a thoroughly entertaining romp of an honest and hysterical all-nighter.   

At thirteen and looking ahead to starting their first year of school, best friends Jess (Antonia Gentry) and Hannah (Julia Lester) make a vow that they will have the best prom night ever, no matter what happens.  Who hasn’t made some pact with their best friend before, never realizing that the days fly awfully fast when you’ve placed a deadline on naive expectations?  As the years go by, they remain inseparable but find that as the night of their prom approaches, it isn’t shaping up to be the most excellent night they had ever hoped for.

Jess is saddled with a bohunk of a boyfriend that cheats on her, while Hannah hasn’t gotten around to telling the boy that thinks they are dating that she’s a lesbian.  In fact, she hasn’t told anyone yet because she only just realized it herself…the night before prom.  When both find themselves without a date to the dance, they take matters into their own hands and seek out the best options that will give them the quintessential experience, the one they had imagined for the past four years.  Throughout one night, their journey to finding a date will lead them closer to one another through a series of equally bittersweet, bizarre, and bawdy dilemmas.

While I haven’t been a teen for a bit (ow, my sciatica!), Mausner’s script captures the essence of the universality of teen issues through their fresh, contemporary viewfinder.  The same setbacks and hangups facing Hannah and Jess in Prom Dates are like the ones that stared down the leads of 2019’s Booksmart and 2007’s Superbad, two comedies that you can quickly draw parallels.  The threat of impending adulthood should be enough to cause anyone to want to slow this time of their lives down…yet they all want to grow up and get mortgages.  It’s when Hannah and Jess are forced to confront the inevitable changes that are coming when Prom Dates hit hardest and, most accurately, succinctly stating the strain of growing up.

Celebrated for her dynamic presence with profound depth as a child star on Broadway (and recently nominated for a Tony Award), Lester steals the spotlight with a performance of comedic brilliance.  Using her experience on the stage to her advantage, she navigates the over-the-top nuances of her character, giving a vivacity to each scene, which contributes to several unforgettable moments.  Complementing her is Gentry, bringing a more modern style and a spirit of authenticity and relatability to a character that could have easily faded in the wake of Lester’s broad performance.  Yet Gentry holds her own, forming a symbiosis with Lester to create a dynamic friendship that makes sense.  While John Michael Higgins (Pitch Perfect) and Chelsea Handler (This Means War) are listed in the credits, take it with a grain of salt; these are glorified cameos and not very good ones.  Higgins, in particular, is not on his A-game. 

Having cut her teeth in episodic television and earning high praise, Nguyen crafts Prom Dates with a sharp eye for the intricate details of friendship and the importance of personal growth.  In previous works, she’s been cited for rich character development along with narratives that engage the audience, a talent she expands on here to welcome viewers across demographics to enjoy the R-rated comedy.  Mausner isn’t afraid to get raunchy or let the leads swear like a deranged sailor, and while I don’t believe most high schoolers are as foul-mouthed as Hannah is (this seems to be the Superbad influence gone rogue), the dialogue doesn’t come across as sloppy or worked to death.

We’re standing at the gates of summer movie season and about to welcome several sequels, reboots, and franchise starters.  Now is the time to snatch up movies like Prom Dates and celebrate fearless, original stories that continue to be written and championed by streaming services like Hulu.  A refreshing homage to the teen films that packed houses before the stars of this movie were even born, you don’t need to be invited to attend this prom.  Pick up your remote and start watching.