Film, Reviews
Jul 15, 2013

THE TO DO LIST: ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW

Fans of the throwback film, keep your pants on! Loosely based on the life of screenwriter and director, Maggie Carey, The To Do List is chock-full of raunchy good laughs. Aubrey Plaza plays the endearing Brandy Klark, class of 1993 valedictorian (and virgin).

With the realization that she is far less experienced than she’d like to be before college, Brandy, aided by her snotty older sister (Rachel Bilson) compiles a list of sexual tasks to consumate.

A simple script with a predictable plot is perhaps saved by a talented group of young comedians. Scenes peppered with vulgar banter between Brandy and best friends, Wendy (Sara Steele) and Fiona (Arrested Development’s Alia Shawkat) will force a smirk out of even the most reluctant theatre-goer. The dynamic between Brandy and longtime friend-slash-lab-partner, Cameron (Johnny Simmons) only adds to the laughs–he will stop at nothing to win over the oblivious Brandy’s affection. When she finally succumbs to puppy dog Cameron’s pathetic advances, it is clearly to check things off of her to do list than as a result of requited love. Brandy’s ultimate conquest is studly beefcake, Rusty Waters, (Scott Porter) who also turns out to be her coworker for the summer at the run-down community pool. Bill Hader plays the burnout pool manager who takes the utmost pleasure in hazing nerdy Brandy.

With cameos from Andy Samberg and Christopher Mintz-Plasse, along with an overall feeling of sweet, sweet nostalgia, at the very least, you can expect a few guttural laughs and to leave the theater without the regret of having dropped fifteen bucks on yet another sexually-driven generational comedy.

The To Do List opens nationwide July 26th. Watch the trailer here.