The Duff: Blu-ray Review
The Movie:
Bianca’s (Whitman) universe turns upside down when she learns that her high school refers to her as a “DUFF” (Designated Ugly Fat Friend). Hoping to erase that label, she enlists the help of a charming jock (Amell) and her favorite teacher (Jeong). Together they’ll face the school’s mean girl (Thorne) and remind everyone that we are all someone’s DUFF…and that’s totally fine.
I’m just going to come right out and say it. The movie is pretty predictable and follows the “She’s All That” type of formula of making an “ugly duckling” in to a “swan”. It is very entertaining though. Normally you would have a douchebag guy character that would be giving Bianca problems throughout the film but in this case the guy that you think is a douche is actually the best friend (played by Robbie Amell) who, in some cases, steals the show a bit. The films also touches on the subject of cyber bullying quite a bit but does it in a way that doesn’t seem too preachy. They handle it in a comedic way but with a little nudge giving the audience some valuable information. The humor in the film isn’t overly cheesy nor is it too crude either which gives it that perfect balance that made me enjoy it a lot more than I thought I would. Whitman has the awkwardly sarcastic demeanor that makes her so endearing and so likeable. Thorne does a great job and making you hate her. She has this tone in her voice and look in her eyes that makes you want to cuss out your TV and that makes for a perfect antagonist. The movie isn’t hysterical but it does its job at keeping your attention and with that being said I would totally recommend this to anyone just looking for a fun movie that you’ll be able to enjoy without an overly complicated plot. 7/10
Special Features:
The DUFF Hits The Red Carpet – Shows some footage from the movie premiere.
Extended Gag Reel – This was a pretty funny reel and it looks like the cast had a really fun time on set.
Bringing The Book To Life – A decent feature about being able to adapt the book for the screen.
Teen Comedies And The DUFF – The cast talk a bit about similarities between this film and other teen comedies.
I Am The DUFF – This feature looks at the ways that kids throw each other in categories.
The DUFF Files – Profiles of characters in the film.
