The Perfect Score

Starring Chris Evans, Bryan Greenburg, Erika Christensen,…

The Perfect Score

Starring Chris Evans, Bryan Greenburg, Erika Christensen, Leonardo Nam, Scarlett Johansson, Darius Miles

Directed by Brian Robbins

Three small letters have the ability to frighten and terrorize high school students everywhere, and now this famous college entrance exam, the SAT, is featured in its very own movie.

“The Perfect Score” might just be a perfect waste of time if you’re not part of MTV’s fan base. Viewers who enjoy MTV’s original programming will see a lot of similarities between the made-for-TV movies and the one on the big screen, as well as hear many of the songs that are featured in popular music videos.

There are only two weeks until the next SAT test, and Kyle (Chris Evans) has to improve his score so he can get into his dream college. His best friend, Matty (Bryan Greenburg), was just rejected from his first-choice school because of insufficient SAT scores. Together, they devise a plan to steal the SAT answers from test headquarters. As their scheme becomes more elaborate, Kyle and Matty have to let more kids in on the secret.

The plot isn’t quite as predictable as it could be, and that works in the film’s favor. There are a few surprising moments that help keep the audience’s interest. Other than that, “The Perfect Score” is a typical teen movie with a pretty cast and the inevitable kissing scenes. The tension created by the SAT for all six of the main characters is somewhat believable. The typical high school stereotypes are all included: the smart girl, the rebel girl, the jock, the average guy, the highly motivated guy and the stoner. Throwing them all together in one movie isn’t exactly original. The movie acknowledges this by having one character remark that one of their gatherings is like a scene from “The Breakfast Club.”

One of the more interesting parts of the film is the fantasy scenes that each character has. They are brightly lit, fast-moving clips that only last about a minute. But they give the film a nice break from the monotony of the dialogue and lack of action on screen. The middle feels long, with all the planning for the actual theft of the SAT answers. The narrator, Roy (Leonardo Nam), who is also part of the heist, helps keep the movie moving with his funny commentary and the humor he brings as part of the group.

The SATs are not much fun, and watching a movie about them isn’t much better. “The Perfect Score” is far from the perfect teen comedy. While it has its moments of suspense and humor, most of the movie is just average. “The Real World” has much more excitement. Maybe MTV should stick to producing TV shows.