Jawbreaker

A filmmaker trying to buy some slack for a familiar creation will often call it an "homage," as Darren Stein did comparing Jawbreaker to dark teen films like Heathers and Carrie. My desktop French-to-reality dictionary defines "homage" as "shabby imitation," which is what Jawbreaker turns out to be. It's the tale of a birthday prank gone wrong, a gag by members of a Southern California "in" clique that leaves one of their own dead and the others--led by fearless and feared leader Courtney (Rose McGowan, whose savage bitch-queen is the film's only truly worthwhile element)--trying to cover it up. Stein delivers lots of in-references and jokey cameos (Jeff Conaway, P. J. Soles, Marilyn Manson virtually unrecognizable disguised as a man), leading to the expectation that Jawbreaker will be something slick and satirical. "Slick" is a sensibility Stein can muster, overseeing a suitably garish production design; whenever it tries to show some satirical teeth, however, the film turns all-molars and mashes the material into a fine paste. Rather than savaging people whose lives are an exercise in style, Stein turns his film into an exercise in style, subjugating it to the soundtrack whenever possible. Jawbreaker may reference Heathers heavily--almost to the point of becoming a remake--but it shows none of the surreal wit that made Heathers so instantly quotable, and Rebecca Gayheart's bland moral compass has none of the sexy ambiguity of Winona Ryder's Veronica. Not recommended. (S. Renshaw)[Blu-ray Review—May 24, 2011—Image, 87 min., R, $17.98—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1999's Jawbreaker sports a nice transfer with DTS-HD sound. There are no bonus features. Bottom line: a so-so Blu-ray debut for a deservedly drubbed film.]