10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

What is 10 Things I Hate About You About?

In the halls of Padua High, it’s an all-American high school rendition of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. It gets going with newcomers Kat and Bianca Stratford (Julia Stiles and Larisa Oleynik), two teen girls with a tight-reigned, overprotective dad, Walter Stratford (Larry Miller). 

Kat and Bianca are absolute polar opposites. Kat’s the independent rebel sister, whereas Bianca’s the it-girl. It all gets chaotic when too-cool-for-school bad boy Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger) enters the scene. 

Meanwhile, a couple more new boys, Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and his quirky best friend Michael Eckman (David Krumholtz), join forces to win over Bianca’s heart. 

Our Honest 10 Things I Hate About You Review

10 Things I Hate About You is a rom-com so good, even Kat Stafford would have trouble making a sonnet about what’s wrong with it! 

If you love a classic Shakespearean love tale, and you’re equally obsessed with the 90s, it is the film for you. Book nerds will love it for the constant nods to classic literature, and the hopeless romantics will fall head over heels for the lovey-dovey teen romance. And for anyone who craves drama, it’s got lots of that!

Sarcasm is the love language of 10 Things I Hate About You; we guarantee you’ll be laughing out loud. Every line that Julia Stiles drops is worthy of a quote. The whole 90s aesthetic also has a major vibe. Think: oversized flannel shirts, mixtapes, and a killer alt-rock soundtrack. 

What Do the Critics Think of 10 Things I Hate About You?

People have a lot to say about 10 Things I Hate About You, and it’s all good things! 

Here’s a roundup of the top critic reviews:

• “It’s a celebration of young American women, finding them smarter, tougher, shrewder, more rigorous, more persistent, and more honest than any movie in many a moon” – Stephen Hunter, Washington Post

• “What sets this apart from its many competitors for teen dollars is that not only does the movie feature a surprisingly edgy and intelligent script, but it offers a group of characters capable of holding an audience’s interest for more than 90 minutes” – James Berardinelli, ReelViews

• “Smartly written, lofted into orbit by a heads-up ensemble performance, it’s bursting with new talent on both sides of the camera” – Jay Carr, Boston Globe

• “10 Things I Hate About You has become a cult classic in the past 25 years because it nailed the universal truth about stereotypes: there’s always more to them than what’s seen on the surface” – Akos Peterbencze, The Screen
  
• “10 Things I Hate About You — a modernized version of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew — has everything you could want from a teen rom-com” – Patricia Kariunos, Refinery29

What Awards and Nominations did 10 Things I Hate About You Receive?

10 Things I Hate About You has done pretty well when it comes to shelving awards and getting nominated. Here’s an overview of what it’s bagged: 

• Julia Stiles won Most Promising Actress at the Chicago Film Critics Awards.
  
• 7 Teen Choice Awards Nominations, including Breakout Star (both Julia Stiles and Joseph Gordon-Levitt).
  
• Nominated for Outstanding Film at the GLAAD Media Awards.
  

Cast & Crew of 10 Things I Hate About You

With 90s heartthrob Heath Ledger and feminist icon Julia Stiles, the 10 Things I Hate About You cast and crew is iconic to say the least. Here’s an overview of our fave talent from this classic teen rom-com: 

Fun Facts About 10 Things I Hate About You

10 Things I Hate About You isn’t just a fun movie to watch; it’s also a fun one to learn about! 

There are so many cool behind-the-scenes stories that will make you fall even more in love with the movie. Here are some fun facts worth sharing with YouTube pals on movie night:

• It was Heath Ledger’s first American movie.

• The moment Patrick starts playing with the fire, Heath Ledger completely improvised it. 

• It’s rumoured that Julia Stiles suggested that Heath Ledger sing the iconic ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You’ scene. 
  
• The whole movie was filmed in just two months. 
  
• 10 Things I Hate About You was a major hit, grossing $53.7 million worldwide

Themes of 10 Things I Hate About You

One of the instantly recognisable themes in this teen flick is high school hierarchy, social status, and peer pressure. 

And let’s not forget about the big L-word: Love! 

This movie gives us a little insight into how real connections and romance depends so much on genuinity, honesty, and being emotionally vulnerable. 

Family dynamics are prominent in 10 Things I Hate About You, especially the influence of parenting we see from OTT, super-strict dad Walter Stratford.

To top it all off, we get taken on a journey of transformation and growth, particularly between Kat and Bianca Straford. Comfort zones get stepped out of, hearts are opened up, and expectations get flipped upside down.

How Does 10 Things I Hate About You Compare to Gil Junger’s Other Work?

Like so many of his later films, 10 Things I Hate About You has the wit, charm, and heart that Gil Junger does so well. With his TV comedy roots in Ellen and Dharma & Greg, it’s sprinkled with all the ingredients that will make you laugh out loud and warm up: punchy pacing, snappy dialogue, and most important of all, relatable characters. 

As always with Gil Junger, 10 Things I Hate About You finishes with a satisfying ending, after taking you on an emotional rollercoaster. 

Iconic Scenes from 10 Things I Hate About You

Behind-the-Scenes Trivia

Here are some top-secret trivia facts about 10 Things I Hate About You:

• The scene where Kat wells up reading her ’10 Things I Hate About You’ poem wasn’t scripted. She got so into the scene that she showed us real, raw emotions.

• In the film, Cameron James learns French so he has an excuse to tutor Biaca. But what you don’t know is that Joseph Gordon-Levitt actually speaks French in real life.

• There’s not a single fake set in this movie. Every scene is shot in a real-life location.

• The title’ ’10 Things I Hate About You’ comes from a real diary entry that screenwriter Karen McCullah wrote about a high school boyfriend she once had (and hated!).

Best Quotes from 10 Things I Hate About You

Here’s our top five favourite quotes from this iconic rom-com flick:

• “I hate the way you talk to me, and the way you cut your hair… but mostly I hate the way I don’t hate you. Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all” – Kat reading her ’10 Things I Hate About You poem in class.

• “Don’t for one minute think that you had any effect whatsoever on my panties” – Kat shutting down Patrick’s unsuccessful attempt at flirtation.

• “What is it, Asshole Day?” – Kat serving iconic 90s sarcasm in the high school hallways.

• “Some asshole paid me to take out this really great girl. I screwed up. I fell for her” – Patrick confessing the truth to Kat.
  
• “I know you can be underwhelmed and overwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed?” – Bianca’s attempt at being profound and philosophical while talking to her friend Chastity.
  
  

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