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16-year-old Beverly Hills student Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) starts playing matchmaker for two teachers at her school; she also āadoptsā a new girl (Brittany Murphy)ā¦ Amy Heckerlingās best film as director reconnects with her breakthrough, Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982). Her achievement this time was enlisting the help of Jane Austen in crafting a film that should feel relevant and fun for modern audiences; the story is pretty close to Austenās āEmmaā. Silverstone, in an eyebrow-raising performance, finds the right tone as the spoiled, wealthy teenager. Attractive cast, sharp dialogue and a song score that cleverly matches the story.
1995-U.S. 97 min. Color. Produced byĀ Robert Lawrence, Scott Rudin. Written and directed byĀ Amy Heckerling. Cast: Alicia Silverstone (Cher Horowitz), Stacey Dash (Dionne Davenport), Brittany Murphy (Tai Frasier), Paul Rudd, Donald Faison, Breckin Meyerā¦ Dan Hedaya, Wallace Shawn.
Trivia: Later a TV series, Clueless (1996-1999).
Last word: “It wasn’t written that way in the script, but that’s how she said it. Everybody started to run towards her to correct her and I had to kind of block them all, like ‘step away from the actress!’ I didn’t want her to act; I just wanted her feel that confidence.” (Heckerling on Silverstone’s mispronunciation of “Haitians”, Vice)