There is much to like in this story modeled after the famed Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Amanda Bynes does a convincing job portraying a nice girl who encounters some difficulties during her first year of college. Rather than be influenced and manipulated by the elites, she chooses to befriend a group of shunned self-confessed dorks. Together they learn how to socialize and even make a run for the school council presidency. The messages of this film are morally sound — celebrate your individuality, stand up for your rights, don’t go along with the masses just for popularity sake.
I do feel that the filmmakers made a few wrong choices that taint the overall message. When modernizing the seven dwarfs, the character of Happy became more of a sex-crazed nerd. Because of this, he was much less likeable and made some offensive comments. While much of the film takes place in “Greek Row” at a college, most of the partying and hazing scenes were understated. I did have a problem with a scene where one of the dorks ends up trying to fit in by doing a “keg stand.” In case you don’t know, this is where someone does a hand stand on a keg, puts the tap in their mouth and chugs the beer while the crowd counts down. Binge drinking in college is a serious and deadly issue facing college students today. I don’t appreciate the fact that this character was seen as a hero and even became more popular because of this stunt.
Overall this film is an enjoyable and funny look at college life. Due to the content issues listed below, I would not recommend it for young children. This film is awarded the Dove Family-Approved Seal for ages 12 and over.