If Only... (10)

If only The Perfect Score were a book.

Haven't seen or heard of the movie? Here's a taste:

All-around good boy Kyle only obstacle to realizing his dream, studying architecture at Cornell, is his average SAT exam score. For best buddy Matty Matthews, getting into college is his hope to be reunited with dream girl Sandy. They realize haughty brat Francesca Curtis, owner of the Princeton building where ETS makes the SAT test, can provide them security codes so stealing the SAT results before the make-ups becomes an option. Charming Kyle talks her into it, but also enlists their senior high school near-valedictorian Anna Ross, whose Brown ambition is imposed by bossy parents. She brings along basketball dumbo Desmond Rhodes. Realizing their planning was overheard in the school toilet by marijuana addict Roy, the buddies take hum on board, ands find he's actually a natural genius without any ambition. Kyle nearly pulls off a first plan with luck, but blows it. His second plan is better, and the team improvises just enough to get the scores with one major sacrifice. But in the process, their states of mind change decisively.

Though it's been out for years, I only saw this movie for the first time a few weeks ago. In fact,

I'd never even heard of The Perfect Score until I was randomly channel surfing one morning. Despite the fact that it did terribly at the box office, I found myself so enthralled by the film for a few reasons.

A teenage audience can so very easily relate to the pressure felt by the six high school students. Getting into college is no easy task, especially not when your application involves taking a standardized test that, let's face it, really proves nothing about an individual's intelligence. I loved that these six characters all came from different backgrounds as well, because SATs and college applications are things that basically everyone has to go through.

The other aspect I enjoyed was the action and suspense in The Perfect Score. Sure, the storyline is not even close to plausible, but then again, what fictional book is? Considering there are already books like Hacking Harvard out there, I think The Perfect Score would do quite well as a YA action/thriller. 

I, for one, would definitely be interested in reading The Perfect Score as a book.

You've heard my two cents; now feel free to comment on my choice or share your own 'If Only...' in the comments.

Thanks for tuning in! :)