Details
Movie Description
ALL I WANNA DO takes place in 1963. Gaby Hoffman stars as Odette Sinclair, a rebellious teen whose flustered parents, dismayed by their daughter's plans to lose her virginity, enroll her in Miss Godard's Preparatory School for Girls. Odette thinks it's the end of the world, but she soon meets a small group of fellow travelers, the Daughters of the American Ravioli, named after their favorite snack, which they eat cold, out of the can. Verena (Kirsten Dunst) is their spirited leader, and they are opposed by class snitch Abby Sawyer (Rachael Leigh Cook), and the well-intentioned head mistress of the school, Miss McVane (Lynn Redgrave). The girls learn that their school is going co-ed, and after an initial disagreement about the relative merits of boys, they hatch a somewhat absurd plot to preserve the school's all-girl tradition. The proto-feminist ideals expressed in the film are perhaps a bit anachronistic, but realism is not the point. It's got an ingratiatingly goofy tone, and the young cast is enjoyably energetic. The film has developed something of a cult following among teenage girls, and it's easy to see why. It offers a funny, edgy, enthusiastically mounted testament to teen female solidarity.
Film Notes
Theatrical release: May 2000.
The film was shot on location in Toronto, Ontario, and at the Trafalgar Castle School in Connecticut.
The opening credits read, "A Film By Everyone Who Worked On It."
Writer-director Kernochan also co-wrote the film, NINE 1/2 WEEKS.
Writer-director Kernochan wrote the songs, "Girlfriends for Life" and "The Hairy Bird," which are featured on the film's soundtrack.
Hayden Christiansen, who has a small role in the film as Tinka's date, was later cast as Anakin Skywalker in STAR WARS: EPISODE II.
Gaby Hoffman (Odette) made her film debut at the age of five in FIELD OF DREAMS.
Kirsten Dunst (Verena) made her film debut at the age of five in NEW YORK STORIES.
Heather Matarazzo (Tweety) made her feature film debut starring as Dawn Wiener in Todd Solondz's WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE.
Matthew Lawrence (Dennis) is the brother of former teen idol Joey Lawrence, and starred with him on the TV series, BROTHERLY LOVE.
Monica Keena (Tinka) played Oksana Baiul in a 1994 TV movie about the figure skater.
Industry Reviews
"...The film is surprisingly pleasant, thanks to smart, unstereotyped performances -- especially by Ms. Hoffmann and Ms. Dunst -- and the filmmaker's evident respect and affection for her characters..."
New York Times - A. O. Scott (03/24/2000)
Quotations
"Up your ziggy with a wa-wa brush"--Odette (Hoffman) impresses her peers with her inventive verbal wit.
"You really have a fantastic way with words. You should be a speechwriter or a demagogue or something."--Verena (Dunst) compliments her new friend, Odette (Hoffman)
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