Theres a strange, and slightly worrying, subgenre in teen comedies. Its one where an ugly duckling teen will transform into the hottie shes been hiding after a makeover. In the end shell get the cute guy and live happily ever after. The fake message is that shy girls will blossom once they open up, and people will be naturally drawn to them for their personality, not their looks. But somebody having to transform themselves to conform to set standards of beauty so they can fit in, doesnt feel like that empowering of a message. But thats the idea behind Shes All That, made in that golden age where it seemed Freddie Prinze Jr. would be a big star. The Prinze is tasked with transforming a dorky art student into Prom Queen for a bet. Rachael Leigh Cook plays that dork, but even with dowdy hair and glasses its clear shes already quite pretty. Then she gets a makeover, which transforms her from attractive to slightly more attractive. Prinze then falls for her, which has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact he realises shes really hot. Questionable messages aside, Shes All That again puts forth the idea that putting glasses and frumpy clothes on somebody instantly makes them a nerd. And Leigh Cooks gawkiness is exaggerated so much that it's hard to buy such a person could really exist, let alone that everyone in the film finds her ugly.
