Can't Hardly Wait (1998)

44% of critics liked it
(45 reviews)
59% of users liked it
(80,708 ratings)

After the Huntington Hills High graduation ceremony, the fun gets underway at the graduation party where an assortment of jocks, geeks, prom queens, bimbos, headbangers, and nerdy misfits unload four years' worth of emotional baggage at a house where the hostess (Michelle Brookhurst) loses control… More After the Huntington Hills High graduation ceremony, the fun gets underway at the graduation party where an assortment of jocks, geeks, prom queens, bimbos, headbangers, and nerdy misfits unload four years' worth of emotional baggage at a house where the hostess (Michelle Brookhurst) loses control of her guests. Writer wannabe Preston Meyers (Ethan Embry) has been in love with Amanda (Jennifer Love Hewitt of Party of Five) since the first time he saw her during their freshman year. His tormented infatuation with Amanda has intensified throughout high school and culminates at the party, where Preston must now seize this final opportunity to proclaim his love for her before he leaves the next day for Boston. Preston decides to make his move at some point during the party, a particularly auspicious occasion since Amanda has just been dumped by her super-jock boyfriend, Mike Dexter (Peter Facinelli), who wanted freedom to pursue his testosterone-charged fantasies with college women. Cringing at this ludicrous love triangle is Preston's introverted pal and confidante, Denise Fleming (Lauren Ambrose). When Denise runs into her ex-childhood friend Kenny (Seth Green), the two begin sexual experimentation behind the closed bathroom door. Geeky science-fiction fan William Lichter (Charlie Korsmo) devises a plan to ruin Mike's stud reputation and publicly humiliate him and his meathead buddies -- sweet revenge for four years of agony. Former Huntington Hills graduate Trip McNieley (Jerry O'Connell) tells Mike about the terror awaiting in college where "Guys like us are a dime a dozen." Yearbook Girl (Melissa Joan Hart of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch) wants everyone to sign her cherished volume of memories as the partying teens attempt to move into the uncertain future. Party house exteriors were shot on Rubio Street in Altadena, California, and other California locations included Johnnie's Broiler in downtown Downey, Dutton's Book Store in Reseda, Marshall High School in Los Feliz, and Union Station in LA. With more than 70 speaking parts, this film is the directorial debut of the scriptwriting team of Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 40 min.
Directed By: Deborah Kaplan, Harry Elfont
Written By: Deborah Kaplan, Harry Elfont
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Jun 12, 1998 Wide
On DVD: Nov 17, 1998
Studio: Columbia Pictures

Critic Reviews

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
A high-spirited, synthetically raucous house-party comedy.
Lisa Alspector, Chicago Reader
It's not supposed to be a revelation--just a pleasant rendition of a teen-comedy trope.
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post
John Hughes must be spinning in his grave.
Emanuel Levy, Variety
A failed attempt to recapture the exuberant magic of such highschool movie classics as American Graffiti, this is a loud and boisterous comedy, in which the entire action is set during an interminably long graduation night.
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.
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
With summer vacation imminent, its arrival is an instance of perfect timing.
Joly Herman, Common Sense Media
Boozy party movie where losing inhibitions pays off.
James Plath, Movie Metropolis
A surprisingly sweet teen comedy that keeps the sex under the covers and off-screen, opting instead for a John Hughes-style exploration of the teen world. It's a little more intelligent and a little better than the average teen fare, and in Blu-ray it loo
Maitland McDonagh, TV Guide's Movie Guide
It's all cutely derivative, occasionally charming and very occasionally clever.
David Noh, Film Journal International
A decidedly healthy antidote to the hate-driven, ghoulishly cynical bloodlettings of Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer and the rest of that sick ilk.
Robin Clifford, Reeling Reviews
There just isn't any sparkle in any of the lead perfs.
Dragan Antulov, rec.arts.movies.reviews
Less of a movie and more a collection of 1980s teen movie cliches.
John R. McEwen, Film Quips Online
This is the kind of pointless teen schlock one sees on USA Up All Night.

Read all 13 critic reviews

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Spencer S

Let's face it: though we all grew up with this genre, and love the gems such as Dazed and Confused and 10 Things I Hate About You, there are films trying way too hard. One of these nineties underachievers was Can't Hardly Wait, a title that already exacts a feeling of bland… More
Let's face it: though we all grew up with this genre, and love the gems such as Dazed and Confused and 10 Things I Hate About You, there are films trying way too hard. One of these nineties underachievers was Can't Hardly Wait, a title that already exacts a feeling of bland indifference, which is what you feel when you watch it. There are some pretty funny moments, but they're most on account of Seth Green, because he's so pathetically human, and Charlie Korsmo: If his face looks familiar, it's because he played Robin Williams' son in Hook, and strangely puberty has not lent a helping hand. He's the most nerdy, drunken, kooky figure during this intensely raging high school graduation party, and the most enjoyable character of the entire film. Threading through the shifting comedy are the subplots of an unrequited love between nobody Preston (barely showing up onscreen throughout this film) who has, quite literally, no discernible character traits, and a popular girl. We also get an eyeful of a youthful Jennifer Love Hewitt, a pre-Twilight Peter Facinelli, and a long list of cameos, including Selma Blair, Jason Segel, and Melissa Joan Hart as a peppy girl obsessed with everyone signing her yearbook. It didn't make a lot of headway, and was in no way original, but I did really enjoy the side story of Green and Ambrose's characters and their past, though under scrutiny it doesn't make much sense or matter.
AJ V

I've seen much better teen films, any 80s teen film for example. This movie has a bunch of bad actors, and it's not funny. I didn't care for it.
Jennifer X

It stagnates quite a bit, and J Lo Hew does pretty much what she always does (stand there), but there were some stories that stood out. Notably the Denise one.
Lorenzo v

"I don't know about you, but I really believe that there's one person out there, and for me it's gotta be Amanda." Multicharacter teenage comedy about high school graduates with different agenda of life on graduation night.… More
"I don't know about you, but I really believe that there's one person out there, and for me it's gotta be Amanda." Multicharacter teenage comedy about high school graduates with different agenda of life on graduation night. <center>REVIEW</center> This "Animal House" update brings more intelligence, more meaning to a dumb period of college partying. The focus on selected characters and the relationship are both entertaining and enlightening. In addition to the somewhat less raucous but much more intelligent college party - "Can't Hardly Wait" is both a fun movie that balances both dumb antics with meaningful interludes between the characters. Seth Green from Buffy the Vampire Slayer offers up a different and rather deeper character demonstrating his flexibility as an actor and Jennifer Love Hewitt portrays a reluctant Prom Queen misunderstood - in an anti-popularity role. The memorable aspect of this movie is in its balanced treatment of the post-high school experience, avoiding the raw, idiotic nonsense of Animal House and bringing a much more rewarding entertaining experience to the audience.
Lenny M

80's teen comedies; Classic. 90's teen comedies: Enjoyable, somewhat memorable. 2000 teen comedies: Hit or miss but mostly miss. Things that I remember from this one: Third Eye Blind, Smash Mouth, and the kid from "Hook".
Wahida K

I thought this Movie would be funny and all, but after like 30 minuted I thought I cant hardly wait for the end credits, but I quit watching it anyway.
Cassandra M

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.… More
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. 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.
Bannan i

Total classic...
danny d

the best teen party movie ever. funny and well thought out, certainly not a great movie but i have fun everytime i watch it.
E.J. B

Lame. High school parties were so much cooler than this unfunny excuse for a movie.
Red L

Another film set at graduation. Most of this film happens at a grad party. The main storyline is about the 'hero' making a play for the school beauty (Jennifer Love Hewitt) after her jock boyfriend dumps her. The best part of the movie however is the relationship that… More
Another film set at graduation. Most of this film happens at a grad party. The main storyline is about the 'hero' making a play for the school beauty (Jennifer Love Hewitt) after her jock boyfriend dumps her. The best part of the movie however is the relationship that develops between Denise (Lauren Ambrose) and Kenny (Seth Green)
Tim S

Seth Green almost saves this movie.
Steve K

Total guilty pleasure.
Dean M

Cool comedy of the ultimate teen party where class nerds, superjocks and freshman has changed. Nerd turned stud Charlie Korsomo's so hilarious in his rage in the party.
Jason S

This flick is always overlooked. Very good though. Funny.
Michael G

Very guilty pleasure. This is the only time you'll catch me saying Seth Green is funny.
Lanning :

Trust me, you can.
Deb S

"Yo, I gotta have sex tonight! I mean peep this - They say here ninety-two percent of the honeys at UCLA are sexually active. Ninety-two of the women in Los Angeles at UCLA walking around going, "Class... or sex? What shall I do?" Ninety-two percent, yo! Hey, you know… More
"Yo, I gotta have sex tonight! I mean peep this - They say here ninety-two percent of the honeys at UCLA are sexually active. Ninety-two of the women in Los Angeles at UCLA walking around going, "Class... or sex? What shall I do?" Ninety-two percent, yo! Hey, you know what that means?" "If I had known you would've been in here pleasuring yourself" "Look, there's a mirror right there....you're white." Flashback to the notorious school years where the actors and actresses portray the anguish and the ecstasy of high school perfectly! It is absolutely loaded with cameos from the hottest stars before they became famous: Melissa Joan Hart (Sabrina), Selma Blair (Cruel Intentions), Sean Patrick Thomas (Cruel Intentions), Breckin Meyer (Ghosts of a Girlfriend Past), Jason Segel (I love you Man), Jerry O'Connell (Scream 2) and many more. An amusing teen film about a high school guy who has been infatuated with the most popular girl for four years! The whole setting is a graduation party where Amanda (the popular girl played by Jennifer love Hewitt) finds a letter written by the guy that likes her. Amanda has just realized that her football hero boyfriend is a moron who gets off on mooning the cashier at Burger King and giving the freshmen wedgies; and there's Preston (Ethan Embry), the ordinary quiet guy who has idolized her for four years and whom she's never so much as noticed. Also in this movie is Seth Green as Kenny Fisher (a young white suburbanite who better identifies with African American culture). His timing and his tact (or lack thereof) is ridiculously funny. The way he walks talks and acts is just plain out hilarious. His only goal is to get laid but he ends up in deep conversation with a childhood friend, a dumpy little girl (Lauren Ambrose) he abandoned freshman year because she was in all the "smart" classes and had no money. Then we have Charlie Korsmo as William Lichter, the geek (Ack! STEREOTYPES!) who crashes the party in a bizarre sabotage attempt, but by the time he leaves the party, he OWNS it. I also like Melissa Joan Hart, who played an annoying yearbook girl who asks everyone to sign her yearbook and Jenna Elfman as the angel stripper, witty as ever.
Joseph E

I think for teen comedies, this film was and may still be the Ultimate one. This film took high school Comedies and turned it into a(n) amazing humor filled PG-13 film. Seth Green, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Ethan Embry made this suprising underdog, one of the most special teen… More
I think for teen comedies, this film was and may still be the Ultimate one. This film took high school Comedies and turned it into a(n) amazing humor filled PG-13 film. Seth Green, Jennifer Love Hewitt, and Ethan Embry made this suprising underdog, one of the most special teen comedies I've ever seen. It wasn't original during the whole film, but alot of the film daringly different and unconsiously outrageous. i'd say i enjoyed rather more than I thought I would. It was more of a teen comedy, more than a Romantic-Comedy, but I thought it was sort of both. it was really uncanny, and less vulgar than American pie(Which went out of style after the first)., yet i highly reccomend it!
Sunil J

I like the Lauren Ambrose/Seth Green story but otherwise it's pretty dumb.