Get ready to be charmed by 'Classic,' a 2016 romantic teen comedy film that somehow managed to tell a thoroughly engaging story without pandering to today’s top trends or trying to sell a political agenda. Directed by one of the industry's brightest, Shari Lankford, and shot in sunny Southern California, 'Classic' stands out as a love letter to the era of pure, good-spirited teenage romps. The film follows the lives of two high school seniors as they navigate the age-old waters of prom dates, friendships, and finding oneself amidst the chaos. Released in March 2016 to audiences in the United States, the film taps into nostalgic vibes of 80s and 90s teen cinema, not by regurgitating old tropes but by masterfully capturing the essence of young love and self-discovery.
In an age when films are so often judged by their ‘wokeness,’ 'Classic' is refreshingly free of such demands. There's a reason audiences still crave movies where the only conflict is whether the girl ends up with the guy — it’s relatable, it’s simple, and boy, is it sometimes missed in today’s cinematic parade of forced diversity and political virtue signaling. This film harkens back to a more innocent time, reminding us of those high school years when life was a series of simple choices, not social justice battles.
Let's break it down and see why 'Classic' has a standing spot in my collection of DVDs that I’ll show to my own kids one day. First off, the characters are honest and untouched by the kind of cynical moralism that saturates so much of contemporary youth culture. Lankford didn’t try to make their fictional high school a microcosm of the world’s ills; instead, she gave us regular teenagers preoccupied with quintessential and timeless dilemmas: love, friendships, and aspirations. It’s high time we celebrate films that remember their main job is to entertain rather than indoctrinate.
Some might argue that 'Classic' missed a beat by not focusing on modern social issues, but there’s plenty of soap boxes out there — we don’t need one in every teenage rom-com. The script, written by Tom Hines, perfectly captures the awkward charm of first love, with a lightness that is seldom seen in today’s gritty productions. The leading actors, Vy Nguyen and Bryan Mafi, deliver heartwarming performances, perfectly embodying their roles as the leads who are not only unsure of their dance moves but also of their paths in life.
The cinematography is no less impressive, capturing the vibrant hues of Southern California. While films in this genre often succumb to clichés, 'Classic' avoids them artfully, leaving viewers feeling nostalgic rather than cynical. The director clearly opted for a lens that values sincerity over shallow aesthetics. And let's not forget the soundtrack, echoing back to the simpler sounds of earlier decades, combining toe-tapping tunes that accompany the romance without overshadowing it.
Critics might dismiss 'Classic' as nothing more than a trip down memory lane without any groundbreaking cinematographic techniques. But here’s a little eye-opener — when you strap yourself to the ideological train of 'progressive' agendas every time you enter a theater, you forget how to simply enjoy the view. Watching a film like 'Classic' becomes a refreshing retreat, an escape from the endless cycle of films that try too hard to be 'relevant.'
In a market flooded with over-the-top production values and CGI fantasies, 'Classic' offers a different kind of escape — one that leads you back to the heartland of storytelling, where characters and narrative triumph over graphics and shock value. It's for those who tire of being inundated with messages in their media and long for a film that respects them by asking only that they enjoy a wholesome plot with a dash of humor and heart.
For me, ‘Classic’ rekindles the magic of filmmaking before it became a battleground for political and ideological narratives. It captures the innocence and exuberance of youth without insisting on any deeper commentary. Just like those timeless love stories we all know by heart, ‘Classic’ is one film that transcends its 2016 production year, capturing the kind of fun and romance that goes beyond time. You can keep your tropes about dystopian futures and haunted pasts — I'll take 'Classic' any day over an exhausting two-hour debate on societal woes any day.