'Jawbreaker' borrows from old teen films

Teen comedies of late have been so focused on channeling John Hughes that other composers of pitch-perfect '80s angst go unrecognized.

"Jawbreaker," the debut comedy from writer-director Darren Stein, takes the road less traveled by invoking the unsung, twisted brilliance of Michael Lehmann, creator of "Heathers."

And like its predecessor, "Jawbreaker" gives audiences a taste of the glamorous and often murderous lives of a high school clique, but, crossing the line into mediocre derivation, is ultimately too bland for a supposedly black comedy and more than a little hard to swallow.

Not that "Jawbreaker" is intended as realism - how could it be, taking place at a high school named for Ronald Reagan?

Beyond its setting, the premise itself is absurd, as the director likely intended.

"The Flawless Four," as the film's ultra-trendy and impeccably-groomed Heathers are called, generally rule Reagan High, neglecting class and judging the lower ranks, while choosing not to eat in the cafeteria, as they might be judged on something as superficial as the food they eat.

The girls' extracurricular activities include pulling elaborate pranks for birthdays, but their fun goes awry when the target of their faux-kidnapping scheme gets asphyxiated by an enormous version of the titular candy.

A cover-up ensues but also goes haywire when wallflower Fern Mayo (Judy Greer) happens upon Courtney (Rose McGowan), Julie (Rebecca Gayheart) and Marcie (Julie Benz) nonchalantly prepping the corpse for imminent discovery.

But instead of silencing Fern for good, they keep her quiet by offering her what has been the calling-card plot device of many a teen comedy - a total makeover.

At that point, "Jawbreaker" itself undergoes a makeover, shifting from a sharp-tongued, if derivative, let's-get-away-with-murder satire to a schizophrenic mess of gushy romance, ribald sex humor and serious meditation on the horrors of high school politics.

But if high school popularity were ever a bitch, her name is Rose McGowan, an effervescently evil anti-Barbie as the to-die-for Courtney Shayne.

Rebecca Gayheart, who'll always be the Noxzema girl, also makes a strong impression as the regretful Julie, the sugar to Courtney's scary spice.

Sadly, these lovely ladies are largely all the film has to offer, as the other performances are as flat as Stein's predictable script, which all-too obviously borrows from "Carrie," "Clueless" and even "Rebel Without A Cause."

Worthy influences all, but "Jawbreaker" still cannot rise above its inevitable debt to "Heathers," despite the welcome infusion of some '50s style and sensibility, in the capri pants, cardigans, drive-in movies and diners that populate the film.

This style, however, is the rare bit of inspiration in "Jawbreaker," which also strikes comic gold with the casting of Pam Grier as impossibly tough and impossibly named Detective Vera Cruz.

Mainly, though, "Jawbreaker" looks to "Heathers" for inspiration.

Still, Stein could have chosen a much worse movie to idolize, making "Jawbreaker" at least passable.

But before Stein makes another film, he should be reminded that even "Heathers" genius Lehmann can make mistakes - he made "Hudson Hawk," after all.

02-22-99