Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ethan Embry, Charlie Korsmo

Multicharacter teenage comedy about high school graduates with different agenda of life on graduation night.

Flixster Users

61% liked it

68,827 ratings

Critics

44% liked it

45 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 35 min.

Directed by: Deborah Kaplan, Harry Elfont

Release Date: June 12, 1998

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DVD Release Date: November 17, 1998

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Stats: 2,719 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (2,719)


  • July 1, 2009
    Can't Hardly Wait 1998

    Shown on UK TV recently, it was the first time I saw this, (somehow I managed to miss it first time round). It encompasses so many aspects of a typical end-of-school-party, that there are bound to be a few incidents that anyone can relate to in some way.
    ...( read more)
    It is a 'teen movie', but not in the normal sense of the word. To begin with, there is actually a semi-decent plot, (ok, a coming of age story), although the best features are really the dialogue and performance by the actors. It feels unusually believable, yet obviously surreal, at the same time. It is sort of a heightened and idealised version of these parties, almost how you would want to remember them, even though things didn't happen quite that way in reality.

    There are some great scenes that put the characters in situations you want to find them in, and the ensuring comedy is great. Also all spectrum's of a year group have tried to have been accommodated, even if they are portrayed in such a pigeon-holed and categorised way. That's half the fun, and you wouldn't watch this thinking it was an intellectually heavy-weight film.

    It is a great deal better and not even comparable with the the American Pie trilogy or other such 'teen films' produced by studios. Increasingly, the intention is to make a non-specific film for teenage audiences, with the idea that ticking all the right boxes, with character representation, will create a success. This is not the case, as good films have an undefinable quality about them, which is natural and not contrived.

    There are occasions when the acting could have been a little better here, (I got the feeling that J-L-Hewitt slipped into monotone a few times), but overall the performances carry the film well.

    One of the things I particularly enjoyed was that it is genuinely funny without taking itself too seriously, or relying on parodying scenes from other films, in order to get a quick joke (which might be expected), eg. Not Another Teen Movie style.

    Admittedly, it does reference a number of films, but in a subtle manner, and collates these elements in a highly enjoyable overall film. I really enjoyed watching this film!

    What a great picture.
  • June 21, 2008
    a silly high school flick, or end of.. irony couldnt be deeper as i watch this skipping my own grad class parties. anywho.
    disgusting cast! like in the best way.. a lot of young talent, well young in 98... nice casting. i think seth green would be better for Malibu's most Wanted...( read more).. hes jus a funny wigger.. bits of this is humorous, most of it is slightly enjoyable, typical high school thing. not john waters or hughes, its much better.. atleast between the overly shallow and the pretencious shit those two make. this is mild and so its not recomneded cuz theres thousands upon thousands of good movies, somewhere... but its one not to pass on.
  • March 25, 2008
    severely underrated teen flick, better than american pie imo
  • December 19, 2007
    the best teen party movie ever. funny and well thought out, certainly not a great movie but i have fun everytime i watch it.
  • October 30, 2007
    Lame. High school parties were so much cooler than this unfunny excuse for a movie.
  • October 6, 2009
    J'aimais beaucoup ce film adolescente, maintenant moins, mais la bande sonore reste une des meilleures que j'ai écouté!
  • September 25, 2009
    The cast of this movie is incredible, you can see one familiar face every 10 seconds. That alone makes this movie stands out amidst all the teen movies out there. I watched it again one of this days and still enjoyed it.
  • September 25, 2009
    a classical teenager movie I LOVE THIS
  • September 21, 2009
    This is your typical teen flick about the most popular and beautiful girl in school who falls for the geek. But it still works. The story is very funny at times. Plus this film has a great young cast. Many faces in this that become big movie and television stars later on. A solid...( read more) movie worth watching.
  • September 21, 2009
    This has a little more substance than the typical teen party movie. The cast is engaging, especially Jennifer Love Hewitt. It tends to be a bit predictable, but for the most part it was interesting.

Critic Reviews


April 12, 2002
Liam Lacey, Globe and Mail

Manages to serve up new rock, eighties dance music, rap and Barry Manilow -- a combination custom-made to annoy audiences of all ages. full review

January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The movie lumbers ungracefully from romantic showdowns to Deep Conversations to bathroom humor. full review

January 1, 2000
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

The directors get good performances from a talented cast. full review

View more Can't Hardly Wait reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • Rosepetal75
    September 7, 2009
    Preston finds Amanda to confess his love for her. Amanda finds a letter from Preston to seek out for him & she finds yearbook picture of Preston to realize her mistake & go after Preston to find him when Amanda visits Preston at Union train station about a letter that he wrote it so many times last 4 years at Huntington Hills High.

    Preston is about to depart to Dartmouth College in Boston to write workshop with Kurt Vonnegut. He comes back to Amanda so, they're finally kissed so, Preston waits for 7 hours to aboard the train to Boston. Amanda wrote Preston a letter for everyday that he was away. They're still together forever. Preston & Amanda are perfect match that they have something in common.
  • nineteendots
    April 3, 2009
    i thought it was brilliance. ;)
  • brawlalley21
    February 7, 2009
    Jennifer Love-Hewitt appears as the school's dream girl!!! oh what a sweet treats!!!
  • WrellikW
    July 17, 2008
    This was a cute movie. It makes 'Not Another Teen Movie' make more sense.

    Take care,
    William
    Zzzzzoooooommmmmmm!

    "It is easy to be brave, from a distance." -American Indian Proverb-
  • natasha14sr
    February 17, 2007
    this looks awesome

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Can't Hardly Wait Trivia


  • In Can't Hardly Wait, what does Kenny wear on his head for most of the movie?  Answer »
  • In the movie Can't Hardly Wait, the guys couldn't break up with their girlfriends because they had tickets to see what band?  Answer »
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