Dare
What’s with all of these crazy kids having threesomes in Hollywood? First, Britney Spears released her ode to getting down when three’s company. Then Gossip Girl just had a highly publicized episode where three of the least appealing characters had one. Now, the new film Dare, now playing in limited release in New York and Los Angeles, has a near-threesome factoring into the film’s climax.
Dare offers an honest look at the sexual awakening of three high school teenagers. First up is Alexa (Emmy Rossum), the overachieving drama queen both on and off the school’s stage. She partners in a drama class exercise with Johnny (Zach Gilford), the poor-little-rich boy loner who seems to get all the girls, but is really all talk. Ben (Ashley Springer) completes the triangle as Alexa’s nerdy best friend who, surprisingly, gets to third base with Johnny. While Johnny yearns for them all to live in a harmonious relationship, the two best friends don’t feel the same way.
Picking up where John Hughes’ high school films left off, Dare mixes humor with a realistic look at how teenagers handle themselves while figuring out their identities. It becomes clear over the course of the film that none of the main characters really knows who they are, or are frightened by the possibilities. For the audience, appearances can be deceiving as well. Out screenwriter David Brind (who wrote the short of the same name that the film is expanded upon) takes the archetypical high school personas and tweaks them just enough to make it interesting.
What’s unique about Dare unique is not that there is a bisexual love triangle, but that the three protagonists are treated without judgment, as if taking part in a typical romantic rivalry in a teen film. Nor is the film overtly sexual considering its subject matter. Still, its central conceit might make some social conservatives squirm some.
Neither Rossum (Phantom of the Opera, The Day After Tomorrow) nor Gilford (Friday Night Lights) move out of their comfort zone into areas that the audience hasn’t already seen them. Perhaps because Brind leaves a lot of unanswered questions with these characters that the actors felt constrained in playing them. On the other hand relative newcomer Springer (best known for a supporting role in the indie dark comedy Teeth) effectively brings to life that awkward, nerdy guy we all knew from high school.
Balancing the up and coming actors is the roster of veterans. Sandra Bernhard makes a break from the comedic roles to play Johnny’s therapist. Her role is small, but Bernhard steals the scene. Not faring as well is Alan Cumming, who plays a former student who comes back to the school to work with the drama students. His main point in the film is teaching Alexa how to unlock her feminine power, but instead he seems to come off as a bitter queen with eyes on Johnny.
Aside from this trio, the other characters are ancillary at best and have no real purpose. Because of this, Rooney Mara and Chris Riggi are wasted in roles that come up to barely more than set dressing.
Directed by Adam Salky, the film has a slick look to go along with the feeling that you are getting an insider’s view into the real secret life of America’s teenagers (though of the well-tended variety. The film was shot and takes place in one of Philadelphia’s more affluent suburbs). Adding to the coolness factor is that Dare has Duncan Sheik providing the musical score. He returns to the territory he covered in his Broadway hit Spring Awakening, but with an edgier sound. No doubt his presence sure to give the film some addition street cred and market visibility.
Dare is an entertaining look into the world of high school students, though with a narrow focus of teen sexual awakening and its aftermath. Like most people’s first time, what it depicts may not have a whole lot of substance, but is fun to sit back and enjoy.
