What did you think of "Whatever It Takes"?   Good 64% 85   Bad 14% 18   Somewhere in between 2% 3   Haven't seen it 20% 26 Total Votes   132

Grade: D

Verdict: It takes more than this mess.

Details: Starring Shane West and James Franco. Rated PG-13 for sexual situations and profanity. 1 hour, 32 minutes.

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Review: "Whatever It Takes" is more dispiriting proof that Hollywood is willing to do whatever it takes to make a buck. Last spring's mini-trend was the teening of Shakespeare. This year, the classic of choice — and the term is used loosely — is Edmond Rostand's great 19th-century play "Cyrano de Bergerac."

Yet again, the poetic good guy helps the thick-headed jock woo the girl he should be courting himself. But Hollywood couldn't possibly handle anything as heavy as an ugly teenager who doesn't get the girl. So here's the twist. Ryan (Shane West) and Maggie (Marla Sokoloff) are perfectly attractive, longtime buds and next-door neighbors who've always treated each other like brother and sister. But Ryan, like every other boy at school, has a crush on Ashley (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe), senior class hottie. She happens to have a soulless jerk of a cousin (James Franco) who sees a good thing (read "one-night stand") in Maggie. The two guys agree to help each other in the wooing department. From there, it's the sort of spring-break bunk that's been packing 'em in since "Porky's" was a piglet.

The cast is pleasant enough, with O'Keefe having the most fun as a stereotypical queen-bee high-schooler, complete with entourage. But if you saw a single John Hughes movie from the 1980s, you've already seen this territory covered with more style and insight. If you have a preteen just begging you to take him or her to this movie, do whatever it takes to palm the kid off on a clueless grandparent.

— Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Cox News Service

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