The Secret Lives of Dorks (2013) Directed by Salomé Breziner

Movies with 'dorks' as its main characters and movies celebrating geekdom are a bit of yesterday's thing in my opinion. There was a short lived revival a couple of years back but personally, I'm really done with the genre. They just don't do anything new or creative anymore, which is the main reason why I wouldn't be too sad if this turned out to be the last movie of its kind.

It's a big problem that basically all this movie is filled with are a bunch of big and well known stereotypes. Not just about nerds but about high school and teenagers in general as well. That means that characters in this movie are either completely 'ugly' and dorky or 'beautiful' and popular ones at their school. It's OK to make fun of stereotypes, as long as there is a good idea behind it and is being a creative and funny one, with all of it. But I don't really feel that this movie is really trying to say anything with its story, making this a rather pointless watch.

I still kind of like the message that you should go after the girl that's interested in you and not the one that just happens to be prettier to look at but who isn't paying attention to you- and isn't interested in you at all but once you really start thinking about it...there is also something terribly offensive about this message. It basically tells you that if you're a 'nerd' and not the most popular kid in school, there is no way you can get any of the pretty and popular girls and you should stick to 'nerdy' and less attractive girls instead. But oh well, this of course is not the type of movie you should read into too much, since it above all things is a comedy. Not a very good or funny one but a comedy nonetheless.

It's the type of exaggerated comedy, in which none of the situations and characters come across like real ones. It's all a bit too forced at times, though the movie is not without its charm and it does still have its moments. It's not a movie that ever made me laugh out loud but it did bring a few smiles to my face.

The story itself, besides being a simplistic and generic one, has some more problems in it as well. I for instance really didn't like how certain characters were changing- and suddenly teaming up together, to each reach a certain individual goal. It all felt terribly unconvincing and it often didn't made much sense either.

It's not like I ever hated this movie but I just can't call it a very good one either. Within the genre itself, it's also definitely more of a weaker entry, that isn't ever doing anything new, clever or creative with anything. Maybe I would have liked this movie better if it got released 10 years ago, when being different and enjoy 'nerdy' stuff wasn't as accepted yet.

5/10

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