Get Over It (PG-13) ★★★

The ordinary-looking, nice guy Berke (Ben Foster) falls in love with the most popular girl on his high school campus, only to see her stolen away by the resident hunk. After he tries everything in his power to win her back, he may end up having to get over it.

Story

Berke, a high school basketball star, with big expectations for his senior year, gets a shock when his sweetheart, Allison (Melissa Sagemiller), dumps him right before classes begin to take up with Striker (Shane West), the new campus stud. Berke becomes desperate over losing Allison, and will do just about anything to win her back. He decides to quit the basketball team and join Allison and Striker in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by drama teacher extraordinaire, Dr. Desmond Forrest Oakes (a hilarious Martin Short), who writes 12 original songs for the production. Berke just wants to weave himself back into her life -- that is, if he can make it past auditions. So what if he can't sing? He's going to need a little help from the right person, Kelly (Kirsten Dunst), his best friend's little sister who is now all grown up. Seems Berke needs to realize what he already has.

Acting

The youthful cast sparkles in this surprisingly amusing film, without lapsing into the usual teen fare. Foster (Liberty Heights), coming from a serious of geeky roles in TV series such as Freaks and Geeks and the Disney Channel's Flash Forward, has certainly grown up into a fine comic actor. Of course, the highlights are Short's hysterical turn as the drama teacher (a pattern Short seems to be following in his career - bit parts that accentuate his tremendous comic abilities) and Swoosie Kurtz and Ed Begley Jr. as Berke's new-age parents. Hip-hop singer Sisqo plays his good friend (enough said), while Dunst continues playing the simple, sweet, girl-next-door type, which must be getting boring for her. We'd like to see her give more gritty or even melancholy performances, such as the one she gave in last year's The Virgin Suicides.

Direction

Get Over It was not pre-screened for U.S. critics, which usually indicates a studio's nervousness that the film is not up to par. However, in this case, Miramax may have been misguided. Although far from winning any awards, it is a refreshing change of pace from the dredge being released lately. Even if the film comes off a tad frothy, it actually balances a free-spirited sensibility with discipline. Adding elements from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream doesn't hurt either. When the quartet (Berke, Kelly, Allison and Striker) begin halfway through production to let art imitate life, first-time director Tommy O'Haver choreographs their movements with humor and high spirits.

Bottom Line

If you want to escape the ultra-violence of recent releases, such as 15 Minutes and Hannibal, this light-hearted romp is the film for you.