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Credits

Release Date: Jan 26, 2001; Rated: PG-13; Length: 76 Minutes; Genres: Comedy, Crime; With: Rachel Blanchard, Sara Marsh, Melissa George, Marley Shelton and Mena Suvari
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By Lisa Schwarzbaum
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Lisa Schwarzbaum is a film critic for EW

As jokey and blowsy about female stereotypes as The Wedding Planner is clueless and prim, Sugar & Spice isn't a well-shaped movie, but it's fun in its raunchy unwieldiness. Marley Shelton stars as Diane, captain of the cheerleading ''A-Squad'' (''Cheer- leaders kick!'' is their dim rallying cry), girlfriend of star quarterback Jack (James Marsden) -- and knocked-up unwed teen. Thrown out by her parents and living with Jack in frilly penury, she needs money, pronto.

Her girl-power solution: Rob a bank. In preparation, the A-Squad studies videos of Dog Day Afternoon and Reservoir Dogs; one rebellious teammate (Mena Suvari) also gets professional advice from her mama (Sean Young!), who's doing time in jail. Finally the cheerleaders, resplendent in American-flag capes and Betty masks, enact their own white-chick version of Set It Off.

Australian first-time feature director Francine McDougall offers a definite sense of style -- bright colors, wide-screen format -- but also an inconsistent sense of what's funny about the Bonnie-without-Clyde lives of perpetually peppy, gun-toting high school girls in a post-Columbine world. B -- LS

[BOX]

Sugar & Spice STARRING Mena Suvari Marley Shelton NEW LINE RATED PG-13 82 MINUTES


Posted Feb 09, 2001
 

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