Movies

Review: Maggie Carey’s “The To Do List”

“The To Do List” is a raunchy comedy where Aubrey Plaza plays Brandy, an all-around virgin, daughter of a lawyer, played by Clark Gregg, and rule-follower, who is preparing for college.

It’s summer in 1993, and Brandy had recently graduated high school as the valedictorian. She lives in Boise, Idaho and has a to-do-before-college list. She crumples that list, which includes things like buying school supplies, applying for classes and saving money for text books and starts her journey through sexual encounters.

Brandy is in love with Rusty Waters, played by Scott Porter, but Cameron, played by Johnny Simmons, loves Brandy. All three characters work at the local pool where Brandy is also a lifeguard. Throughout the movie, she explores sex through the list of goals she had set for herself, and at one point, sex appears to be her longing for validation in college.

“The To Do List” gets a solid ‘A.’ The movie is rated R with its highly-vulgar frame set that pushes boundaries and leaves the audience roaring in laughter or groaning uncomfortably in mild awkwardness, but it should be watched with an open mind.

The music was catchy with its lovable ’90s hits soundtrack. From the start of the movie, there’s no hiding what this flick will be about  the title of the movie, the opening song and the fact that 90 percent of the characters in the movie are graduated high school students. As soon-to-be-college kids, the cast also has the best fashion sense of its generation.

This film has a perfect cast, which also includes Rachel Bilson, Bill Hader, Alia Shawkat, Andy Samberg, Donald Glover and Nolan Gould, who most know him as Luke from ABC’s TV series, “Modern Family.” Everyone played to their strengths.

“The To Do List” is funny. It’s raunchy. It’s got Aubrey Plaza, and it may be my favorite summer movie.

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1 Comment

  • My boyfriend and I wanted to randomly watch a movie one day and we ended up picking this one without knowing anything about it. Raunchy? Yes. However, great cast, hilarious awkward moments and oddly refreshing.

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