At East High School in Albuquerque, the seniors are all fretting about their future. Troy (Efron) is the star basketball jock fated to go to the local university with his lifelong buddy Chad (Bleu). But he's also being wooed by Julliard for his music and dance skills. And his girlfriend Gabriella (Hudgens) is headed to Stanford to study law, sparking a crisis in their relationship. Meanwhile, they're all planning a show about their senior year, complete with the big game, the prom and graduation. Which isn't too different from their all-singing, all-dancing life off-stage.

There's plenty of teen angst here, touching on such issues as making decisions about the future and figuring out how relationships are going to continue after graduation. But none of this is played out with even a slight hint of realism. It's like a checklist of big issues: once one is name-checked, it's time to move on to the next bit of merry brow-furrowing. No, this movie is all about buoyant production design and energetic choreography, plus ludicrously gorgeous actors who are too busy maintaining a beaming smile to bother with an actual performance.

The only cast member who puts anything into his role is Efron, whose effortless charisma gives life to all of his scenes. Even as he sings and dances his way through another bland, derivative pop number, he's adding something extra that makes him thoroughly engaging. And this spills over into his chemistry with Hudgens, even though their love story is actually rather dull. Better is his friendship with Bleu, which includes the film's best dance number, an edgy, kinetic romp in a junkyard.

Sure, kids will adore this movie. But it's a completely whitewashed look at adolescence that lies to both sections of the fanbase: the preteens looking forward to high school and adults trying to rewrite their "happy" youth. It's also a bit creepy that these teens are so thoroughly sexualised through costumes and choreography, even though they're otherwise squeaky-clean. Next to this, Grease looks gritty and raw.

some themes

4.Oct.08