Of course, she also has a good supporting cast; in particular, Danny Strong and Samm Levine as two of the nerds. These two have made quite a career playing the geeky roles, and their experience and recognizable faces add a certain credibility. Of course, the geek cred may be attributed to newcomer Jack Carpenter as head dork Lenny. He brings the right note of sincere goofiness to the screen. Aside from this core group Sarah Paxton is fine as the witch and Matt Long as the prince. And let us not forget John Schneider as Sydney's dad.
The biggest problem with this lies in the direction. There is some awkwardness in the flow. Too many close-ups with no establishing shots add up to scenes that just look weird and leaves the audience a little disoriented. It is something that many may not even notice, but made many of the conversations a little awkward. Overall the direction is adequate, this is not demanding material.
Bottomline. While not destined to be remembered, it is more than disposable entertainment. It has fine performances led by the likable Bynes. The story is very familiar, and even a bit clever in how the pieces fall into place. I like this movie, and I think some of you will be surprised to find that you do too.
Recommended.
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