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This conflicted teen comedy can't decide what it wants to be. Is Drive Me Crazy a mainstream piffle about a popular girl who turns her grungy next-door neighbor into a dream date?Or is it a sneaky critique of high school conformity? Melissa Joan Hart (TV's Sabrina, the Teenage Witch) is angling to get asked to an upcoming dance by a basketball star, but when her plans go awry, she turns to a childhood friend (Adrian Grenier from The Adventures of Sebastian Cole) in the hopes of avoiding total humiliation. Grenier wants to win back his recently lost girlfriend, so he agrees to Hart's total makeover plan to induce jealousy. Naturally, the scam turns into something sparky. Teen flicks always make things too glossy and upscale, but Drive Me Crazy somehow fumbles its design and ends up looking false and square. The movie initially presents Grenier's transformation as unqualified good, with no sense that anything he was doing before--political protests, alternative music, rebellious pranks--had any value. But as the plot unfolds, a few barbed twists undercut the good cheer, sneakily commenting on school spirit and popularity. These themes wrestle uncomfortably with the movie's production values, resulting in a curiously provocative jumble. This confusion is probably why the movie was only a modest success in theaters, but it's actually what makes Drive Me Crazy worth looking at now. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Kelli reviews "I Love You, I Love You Not"
If you like Claire Danes, you'll like this movie. She gives a very moving performance as Daisy, an adolescent who is ignored by her parents and enjoys spending time with her cool grandmother. Julia Stiles, Jude Law, and James Van Der Beek also appear. I enjoyed this film because it deals with something we all go through directly or indirectly in our lives--judging people because of what they are, not who they are. Claire's performance, as always, is magnetic and real.

not horrible, but not great
(The rating should actually be 2.5 stars.) After reading some of the glowing customer reviews of this movie, I wonder if I don't remember it as clearly as I thought. I watched this with my mom, and both of us thought the script and direction weren't up to par. Both seemed forced--the dialogue didn't flow very well, and didn't sound easy and natural. The music also really bothered me--a lot of the time it was overly emotional and melodramatic, and reminded me of soap opera music. However, there are redeeming aspects--the three leads. Jeanne Moreau, Claire Danes, and Jude Law are all very talented, and all manage to do respectable jobs. Danes has good chemistry with both Moreau and Law, and that shines through the often bumbling lines. So I didn't hate it, and it wasn't unbearable--obviously some people loved it. If you really like any of the main actors, and the story sounds interesting, go ahead and give it a whirl. Just don't expect too much.

Interesting in idea, but fell through slightly...
I liked this movie...alot, but it could have been alot better. Claire Danes, Jeanne Moreau, and Jude Law did excellent jobs. The problem wasn't in the acting, and wasn't really in the dialogue. the problem was taht at times it was hard to follow and some parts felt unresolved or unexplained. It would have been nice to see more of the relationship between Law's and Danes' characters. It also would have been nicer to have just a bit more on Law's character on his own and why he went with Danes' character. The dreams and quasi-flashbacks were also very hard to follow. Maybe if the movie had been longer and given a cleaner, but not necassarily perfect feel it would have been better. the anti-semetic letters she get and the reason for the break-up isn't very clear and if we had been able to see more than a few temporary moments of her relationship with her parents then we'd get a bigger picture of the character's problems.

I'd suggest it to anyone who is a fan of Claire Danes or Jude Law. Or just a good movie.

Blah
I really hated this... it wasn't even worth my time to TiVo it. It was completely unrelatable and just dragged. It rubbed me the wrong way.

Very, very nice...but, could have been slightly better
The movie was very good. And this shows the supurb acting skills of Claire Danes and Jude Law as "new comers" to the acting field. I trully enjoy the relationship between all the characters and this movie drew me in from the get go. But, i wish i knew more about Daisy's background and go more into Jude's(Ethan) side of the story. Overall, I own this movie and i've watched it an 101 times and i am still in love. ... Read more

Description

Ordinary Sinner is an intriguing coming-of-age drama with romance, action and social commentary. Peter, a former divinity student, comes to rural Vermont to sort out his life after a crisis of faith. There, her gets involved in a complex triangle with his boyhood pal Alex and the beautiful coed Rachel. Later, Peter finds the country is not the quiet refuge he thought when he uncovers a possible murder involving his former mentor. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Not as good as it could have been
Ordinary Sinner, was not a bad film nor did it meet its potential. The production quality was good as was the sound quality. The acting was actually OK, Martinez stood out as the priest and was the most connected with the viewer. The issue with this film was that it was a bit slow and forced. The other leads had no connection with the viewer and when they tried to be dramatic, you could see it but not feel it. The script was good but did not get you drawn in to the story as well as it should have. The coming out scene of the priest was the finest moment in the film, it was the most powerful and at that piont you did feel involved but it lost me shortly after that scene. Overall it was not bad but also not a movie you would invite your friends over to see. I would suggest renting it if you can and see if you like it enough to spend the money to buy.This was not a great investment but is worth a look. You may want to see the movie " Priest".

Many Reasons to Pay Attention to this little Film
ORDINARY SINNER is a fine example of what small budget films can accomplish where box office extravaganzas fail. The story is a simple one - college youths in search of defining their roles in the universe on varying levels of sophistication are brought together in a small Vermont college town. The main character has given up on his seminary plan to become an Episcopal priest, engages in his first sexual encounter with a girl who becomes part of the trio of friends that drive this story. When homophobic signs appear in the gossip and visuals of this quiet community, the one who has the courage to quell this dangerous atmosphere is the local parish Episcopal priest ( a beautifully sensitve portrayal by A Martinez) by announcing from his podium that if as the rednecks suggest the bible states to kill homosexuals, then the town should start with him. His tender outing eventually results in his death which is surrounded in mystery. It is the resloving of the mystery that brings understanding and love to the youths and the townspeople. Filmed with flashbacks that only make sense as the film draws to a close enhances the chance taking that is present in this well directed and acted story. Worth watching for the 'food for thought' as well as for the technique of storytelling it demonstrates.

Worth A Look
"Ordinary Sinner" is an interesting low budget film which deals with spirutual faith, sexuality, and homophobia in a small town. The cover suggest a bisexual romantic triangle but this is not a just a sexy romp-the film explores complex issues as the role of gays in the church.

a smart and moving coming of age film
Finally, a coming of age film that doesn't patronize (or insult) its audience. There's good humor, sex and serious drama plus some fine performances including A Martinez as a sage gay priest. Davis' gentle direction was an additional unexpected surprise. ... Read more

Description

James Van Der Beek and his friends come to the rescue in this spirited coming-of-age adventure set in Oxford, a struggling little town, smack dab in the middle of nowhere.Nothing ever seems to happen, that is, until the farmers begin growing marijuana to pay their mounting debts.All seems to be going well until the pressure is on to hide the illegal crop.The tensions rise as the DEA infiltrates Oxford and turns a volatile situation into a more explosive web of intrigue. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Cash Crop...On the Money
CASH CROP is an a nice, sweet, small film with subtle performances, humor, and drama that's not too over the top. The story is about struggling farmers in a rural community town in Pennsylvania that start growing and selling marijuana to make ends meet. Word gets around that there is a marijuana problem among the local high school kids, and an agent from the DEA (Mary McCormack) is dispatched to investigate the local farmers who she suspects of growing the "herb". She is aided by the local Sherriff (John Slattery) who may or may not know who is involved. He wants to do his job right, but at the same time, feels for the plight of the farmers (who have elected him to be Sheriff) and wants to give them the benefit of the doubt. Yet, has his suspicions. Also, one of the farmers involved (Jeffery Demunn) justifies his actions because he has to save his farm so it can be passed on to his son (Wil Horneff). However, the son has no intentions of being a farmer, but wants to be a musician. The twist is that the son is a non user even though a lot of his friends smoke pot. When he finds out his father is one growers, he takes it hard, but will not sell out his parents. The story is very low key and is very atmospheric of the small town locations and farming community. The characters are identifyable and the use of marijuana among the teen characters is not overblown, but typical of the kind of usage one would see in "anytown U.S.A". Advirtizing for this movie has been a little misleading. The film was touted as a vehicle for tv's DAWSON'S CREEK James Van Der Beek. However, he is actually in a minor role as one of the stoned out teens and a best friends of Wil Horneff's character. Also, the film is not a Cheech and Chong type drugged out type comedy. It is a very thought provoking dramedy with some very likable and interesting characters to care about. Good film overall!

Not too bad....
If you've seen the previews for this movie, you'd think it was a stoner comedy starring Dawson Creek. But as we all know, movie marketing isn't bound by truth in advertising laws. This movie is actually a drama about struggling farmers who turn to growing marijuana to survive. Much of the movie handles the subject in a neutral fashion, and that is when it's most affective. The plight of the farmers is realistic and handled well. The story of the farmers themselves and the investigation by a local sherrif and a DEA agent are the best parts of the film. Unfortunatley another key part of the film is a story about one of the farmer's son (Dawson Creek is in about three scenes as his stoner friend). The movie turns him into the bland moral voice of the film, and it loses the neutrality which was one of the film;s strenghts. The son objects to his parents growing pot not because he's afraid of their well being with the DEA sniffing around, but because he believes it's just a bad thing to do. His motivations are muddled because he's always hangin out with stoners (though he never smokes). While the film is not all out anti-marijuana propaganda, this certainly gives it a slant that it would be better off without. Also, all the users and dealers are depicted as complete jerks. A couple of the farmers are the only characters involved with pot that have any redeeming value whatsoever. They are just doing it to survive, but the film couldn't lend that even handedness and honesty to the other characters? Still, when it is neutral it is an engaging and interesting film worth renting if you're interested in the subject.

Cash Crop
I bought this DVD because I thought that it had a great chance to be really good. When you open the DVD you will see that they are promoting the fact that James Van Der Beek is in the movie. His picture is actually on the DVD itself and there is a large one inside the insert. When you read the back cover it says in Big Red Letters "James Van Der Beek", then it proceeds to tell you that he leads his friends in this story. I didn't find it to be true. He wasn't in the movie very much at all, and he was hardly the lead character as they lead you to believe. Overall I found that it really was okay, but I was dissapointed that they pushed the fact that James Van Der Beek was in the movie, then he really didn't play that big of a role.

The movie itself was brought to the viewer from a different angle than any other drug related movie I had ever seen. I thought that it was all right and that it expressed the story that they were wanting to tell. You could imagine the situation being a farmer in a small area and really not making a living. So when some of the farmers turned to producing drugs to get by, you see how eventhough it wasn't a legal thing to do they felt that they had very little options left.

In conclusion if you are interested in a story about another aspect of drugs in America, this movie is for you. If you want to see this movie only because James Van Der Beek is in it, I would probably pass on this one. I am not saying that his performance was bad, but he really didn't have a large enough part for a JVDB fan only to see this movie. If you are looking for more Dawson, this is not the place to find him. Then again if your not looking for Dawson, maybe you can find a different side of James Van Der Beek in the movie "Cash Crop." ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Cash Crop...On the Money
CASH CROP is an a nice, sweet, small film with subtle performances, humor, and drama that's not too over the top. The story is about struggling farmers in a rural community town in Pennsylvania that start growing and selling marijuana to make ends meet. Word gets around that there is a marijuana problem among the local high school kids, and an agent from the DEA (Mary McCormack) is dispatched to investigate the local farmers who she suspects of growing the "herb". She is aided by the local Sherriff (John Slattery) who may or may not know who is involved. He wants to do his job right, but at the same time, feels for the plight of the farmers (who have elected him to be Sheriff) and wants to give them the benefit of the doubt. Yet, has his suspicions. Also, one of the farmers involved (Jeffery Demunn) justifies his actions because he has to save his farm so it can be passed on to his son (Wil Horneff). However, the son has no intentions of being a farmer, but wants to be a musician. The twist is that the son is a non user even though a lot of his friends smoke pot. When he finds out his father is one growers, he takes it hard, but will not sell out his parents. The story is very low key and is very atmospheric of the small town locations and farming community. The characters are identifyable and the use of marijuana among the teen characters is not overblown, but typical of the kind of usage one would see in "anytown U.S.A". Advirtizing for this movie has been a little misleading. The film was touted as a vehicle for tv's DAWSON'S CREEK James Van Der Beek. However, he is actually in a minor role as one of the stoned out teens and a best friends of Wil Horneff's character. Also, the film is not a Cheech and Chong type drugged out type comedy. It is a very thought provoking dramedy with some very likable and interesting characters to care about. Good film overall!

Not too bad....
If you've seen the previews for this movie, you'd think it was a stoner comedy starring Dawson Creek. But as we all know, movie marketing isn't bound by truth in advertising laws. This movie is actually a drama about struggling farmers who turn to growing marijuana to survive. Much of the movie handles the subject in a neutral fashion, and that is when it's most affective. The plight of the farmers is realistic and handled well. The story of the farmers themselves and the investigation by a local sherrif and a DEA agent are the best parts of the film. Unfortunatley another key part of the film is a story about one of the farmer's son (Dawson Creek is in about three scenes as his stoner friend). The movie turns him into the bland moral voice of the film, and it loses the neutrality which was one of the film;s strenghts. The son objects to his parents growing pot not because he's afraid of their well being with the DEA sniffing around, but because he believes it's just a bad thing to do. His motivations are muddled because he's always hangin out with stoners (though he never smokes). While the film is not all out anti-marijuana propaganda, this certainly gives it a slant that it would be better off without. Also, all the users and dealers are depicted as complete jerks. A couple of the farmers are the only characters involved with pot that have any redeeming value whatsoever. They are just doing it to survive, but the film couldn't lend that even handedness and honesty to the other characters? Still, when it is neutral it is an engaging and interesting film worth renting if you're interested in the subject.

Cash Crop
I bought this DVD because I thought that it had a great chance to be really good. When you open the DVD you will see that they are promoting the fact that James Van Der Beek is in the movie. His picture is actually on the DVD itself and there is a large one inside the insert. When you read the back cover it says in Big Red Letters "James Van Der Beek", then it proceeds to tell you that he leads his friends in this story. I didn't find it to be true. He wasn't in the movie very much at all, and he was hardly the lead character as they lead you to believe. Overall I found that it really was okay, but I was dissapointed that they pushed the fact that James Van Der Beek was in the movie, then he really didn't play that big of a role.

The movie itself was brought to the viewer from a different angle than any other drug related movie I had ever seen. I thought that it was all right and that it expressed the story that they were wanting to tell. You could imagine the situation being a farmer in a small area and really not making a living. So when some of the farmers turned to producing drugs to get by, you see how eventhough it wasn't a legal thing to do they felt that they had very little options left.

In conclusion if you are interested in a story about another aspect of drugs in America, this movie is for you. If you want to see this movie only because James Van Der Beek is in it, I would probably pass on this one. I am not saying that his performance was bad, but he really didn't have a large enough part for a JVDB fan only to see this movie. If you are looking for more Dawson, this is not the place to find him. Then again if your not looking for Dawson, maybe you can find a different side of James Van Der Beek in the movie "Cash Crop." ... Read more