Heavily influenced by Michael Lehman's very enjoyable Heathers, which was made ten years ago and made stars of Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, Jawbreaker is mind-bogglingly poor in every department.
At Reagan High School, Courtney (Rose McGowan), Marcie (Julie Benz), and Julie (Rebecca Gayheart) are the bitch-queens who feel superior to the other girls. They hang out with Liz (Charlotte Roldan), who, before the credit title sequence, has died as a result of a silly prank played by the girls - a prank involving a jawbreaker sweet (we call them gobstoppers). Charlotte proposes they make it seem as though Liz was raped and strangled and, when school nerd Fern (Judy Geer) finds out the truth, brings her into their elite circle...
Woefully written and directed by Darren Stein, this is a pathetically unfunny satire on high school hierarchy in America. Stealing not only from Heathers but also from Carrie - for the distinctly unexciting prom night finale - Stein never allows his actors to develop their characters - they remain caricatures throughout. Pam Grier is thoroughly wasted as the cop investigating Liz's death.
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