Review: Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008)
Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging has become something of a classic for girls and young women growing up in the 21st century. Play "She's So Lovely" by Scouting for Girls and it seems the majority of people hearing it will picture Georgia Nicholson, (played by Georgia Groome) running through the streets in her stuffed olive costume.
Based on the book series "Confessions of Georgia Nicholson", beginning with Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by the late Louise Rennison, the film follows fourteen year old Georgia Nicholson as she tries to navigate friendships, family life and first romance.
The films two greatest strengths are its script (by Gurinder Chadha, who also directed the film, Paul Meyada Berges, Will McRobb and Chris Viscardi), and its lead actress Georgia Groome as Georgia Nicholson. These two combined make Georgia Nicholson feel like a real teenage girl, without relying on elements such as slang to try and relate to the target audience - the books this film is based on are very guilty of this.
Georgia's mission to become the girlfriend of older, new boy Robbie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), isn't the sole focus of the film. Where other chick-flicks focus solely on the romance and make the female lead less interesting as a result, Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging also shows Georgia's dealings with her parents, friends, enemies, unwanted suitors, school life, and her cat Angus, who anyone who has seen the film will agree, is iconic. Georgia has a fully rounded life. Even if you don't have a boyfriend or a crush you're trying to pursue, you may still relate to the worry of your parents divorcing, or the feeling of a close friendship changing as one of you gets into a serious romantic relationship for the first time, or the awkward guilt of having to reject someone who you aren't attracted to, or the worry that you aren't attractive enough. Georgia Nicholson is a character who feels human, and that's why I think most of us will chose to watch her more than once.
Having said that, being human is one of Georgia's weaknesses. As soon as you stop to think about everything she does in this film, you realise Georgia Nicholson is kind of a horrible human being. She makes a series of mistakes (some arguably unforgivable), including telling her best friend that her boyfriend isn't good enough for her solely based on her own envy and then kicks her hard in the shin; pretends to date a sweet, unknowing boy to make Robbie jealous; convinces her dad to take a job in another country just so that she will have an easier time convincing her mum to throw her her dream birthday party; and worst of all, continually sets out to pursue Robbie, a boy who already has a girlfriend (which the film says is okay because the girlfriend is a horrible person and "slaggy").
Near the end of the film, Georgia reaches a point where she seems to be left without friends, and the boy she's been chasing after for almost the entirety of the running time wants nothing to do with her. She decides to try and make things right for herself, looking for more positive things to focus her energy on, and encouraging her mum to let the family move abroad to support her dad in his new job. While we're given a good makeup scene between Georgia and Robbie, a surprise party shows that all of Georgia's actions towards everyone else are forgiven without explanation and without an apology from Georgia. It also isn't explained how supposedly unpopular-girl Georgia has everyone from her school at this party.
That's what always ruined this film for me: this ending makes no sense. The audience got to see Georgia feel the depth of her mistakes and learn from them, but her friends didn't get to see that because as far as they knew, she had been selfish and horrible. So why does she get a happy ending with them?
There are also a couple of other behaviours from Georgia that aren't great. When she and her friends see Robbie and his twin brother Tom for the first time, what do they decide to do? Not introduce themselves, and offer to show these two new boys around their school, or even around their town once school has finished. Instead, they all stalk the boys and giggle to themselves every time one of them does something. This isn't an exaggeration, Georgia openly and happily calls this stalking. If the gender roles were reversed, I think this would definitely be more noted and criticised. And even though he got a happy ending, I think there should have been more justice for Dave the Laugh (played by Tommy Bastow). He was a sweetheart.
Aside from this, Georgia is a relatable teen character, and despite her mistakes, she is likeable with a good arc. If she had been played by a weaker actress with less charm, I think this character would have come across as whiny and annoying, but Georgia Groome carries this character perfectly. It's a great shame that she hasn't been in anything as mainstream as this film since, because she's clearly talented. I hope to see her again in something successful in the future.
Until then, give Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging a watch (or a re-watch), and laugh either at Georgia's mad life, or how much she reminds you of your own silly teenage mistakes.
Chick Flick Check List Elements: 1, 2, 5, 7, 13, 15, 16, 17, 21, 31, 32, 42, 51, 54, 56, 57, 58, 61, 62, 68, 69
Total: 21
Is this really a chick flick or will men like it too? Chick flick, but I think some guys would appreciate the comedic aspects.
Would I recommend this film? Yes
Quote of the film: (discussing breasts) Georgia: "Why do you call them nunga-nungas?"
Dave the Laugh: "Well, cuz when you get hold of one and let it go, it goes 'nunga-nunga-nunga!"
Film rating: 8/10
