'John Tucker Must Die' plays like a sitcom

Presented with the title "John Tucker Must Die," you initially can hope that a teen flick in the vein of that great black comedy "Heathers" might be in store.

20th Century Fox 'John Tucker Must Die' C+ The verdict: As teen farce goes, it's above average, but only barely. Director: Betty Thomas Starring: Jesse Metcalfe, Sophia Bush, Brittany Snow, Ashanti, Arielle Kebbel Run time: 89 minutes Release date: July 28, 2006 Rating: PG-13 for sexual content and language. See showtimes Back to school Palm Beach Post film writer Leslie Gray Streeter looks at other inductees in the Old School Hall of Fame. On the web Official movie site View the trailer    Trailers require Quicktime Rate 'John Tucker Must Die'   Go see it   Make it a matinee   Wait to rent   Don't bother Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

Instead, you're treated to a dose of the cutes, but the movie still is a cut above the typical adolescent farce. There's a quartet of likable young women who bond in a positive fashion rather than cat-fighting their way through cinematic high school clichés. Director Betty Thomas and screenwriter Jeff Lowell refreshingly sidestep the gross-out gags that litter most youth comedies. Though the movie strays deep and often into saccharine country, the filmmakers treat the characters with more respect than teen protagonists normally get in Hollywood.

Jesse Metcalfe (Eva Longoria's gardening hunk on "Desperate Housewives") stars as John Tucker, the captain of the basketball team, the hottest guy in school and, through meticulous scheduling, a youth blessed with three girlfriends unaware their man is triple-timing them.

On John's hook are head cheerleader Heather (pop singer Ashanti), academic and extracurricular overachiever Carrie (Arielle Kebbel) and vegan animal-rights activist Beth (Sophia Bush).

All have been chosen by John because they belong to different cliques, and so are unlikely ever to speak to one another. But when the truth comes out, the three conspire with a misfit school newcomer, Kate (Brittany Snow), to take revenge on John.

After initial ploys backfire, they hit on the ideal payback: Make John fall hard for Kate, then have her break his heart.

Predictably, the romantic sparks misfire, with Kate torn between a growing crush on John and feelings for his cool but generally unnoticed younger brother (Penn Badgley).

The humor in "John Tucker Must Die" is sitcommy and episodic, quick sight gags and an overload of dialogue delivered breathlessly fast to disguise the fact that most of it's not funny.

Likewise, the actors mostly project as though they're in a sitcom, a little too over-the-top, a little too stiff and stylized. But the female characters all have distinctly perky personalities that blend well together.