In an era of rapid reboots, the search for films and TV shows that do not stem from pre-existing source material stands as a rare entity. Despite the uptake in programs that serve to provide older stories with a fresher feel, fans of the original production feel that these adaptations fall short. To contradict this trend, Disney Channel and Disney+ delivered their audiences a film that modeled the prime way to incorporate preceding projects into the modern day—by utilizing them as inspiration. The romantic comedy film “Prom Pact” followed one teen girl’s tumultuous road to Harvard University, paved by love, chocolate-chip waffles and a plethora of tropes and references to the ‘80s. With its witty dialogue and charismatic casting, “Prom Pact”, which premiered March 30, sent a wave of fresh air through not only the Internet but through the rom-com genre as a whole. 

The main plot of the movie follows overachieving Mandy Chen, portrayed by Disney sweetheart Peyton Elizabeth Lee, as she attempts to orchestrate a plan to get herself off of the elusive Harvard University waitlist. With the help of her best friend Ben Plunkett, played by Milo Manheim, as well as misinterpreted guidance from her counselor Ms. Chen, portrayed by the witty Margaret Cho, she decides to seek out her school’s resident popular boy, Graham Lansing, to become connected to his successful family member. As Graham, played by Blake Draper, and Mandy grow closer, her mindset and plans shift, along with her friendship with Ben, who also embarks on his own romantic plot with his longtime crush Latoya Reynolds, played by Monique Green. The motivations of the main characters drew similarities to the cheeky cliches of previous teen romance films, such as “10 Things I Hate About You”. While the movies show differences within their plots, every character represents a teenage archetype; for example, Ben Plunkett and Cameron James share the same adoration of their respective school’s popular girl and are essentially seen as “nerdy” in the eyes of their classmates. 

 In the background of all the relationship liaisons, the movie focuses on the looming nature of the school prom. With the theme of the dance as the ‘80s, the movie pulls on several iconic films of the time, as characters deliver promposals influenced by films such as “Ghostbusters (1984)” and “Risky Business”. The soundtrack also features musical hallmarks of the decade, such as “Addicted to Love” by Robert Palmer, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” by Whitney Houston and “Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats. 

The foremost charming quality of “Prom Pact” lies in its magnetic casting. Lee and Manhiem previously worked on projects with the Disney Channel, with Lee starring as the titular character on “Andi Mack”, and Manheim leading the cast of the “Zombies” movie trilogy. The two also shared the screen in season two of the Disney+ reboot of Doogie Houser, Doogie Kamealoha, MD., as romantic love interests. Draper starred in the Australian television series, “Bad Mothers,” as well as the Netflix mini-series “Clickbait.” Rounding out the main teen cast, Green holds several credits under her belt, in projects such as “Black-ish”, “Disney+’s Big Shot” and “All American: Homecoming”. Regardless of their age, the experience of the actors shows through the screen. With every piece of dialogue, no matter how potentially cheesy it may sound, they deliver their lines with comedic timing and magnetism. Even within the supporting cast, no single part felt underdone. With names such as Arica Himmel as Zenobia, Jason Sakaki as Charles and Wendi McLendon-Covey and David S. Jung and Mr. and Mrs. Yang, each second of screen time felt fully utilized. 

“I loved the fact that they made multiple plot lines with multiple characters work. A lot of romcoms recently tend to have focused on the main character, and their love interest feels lifeless because of it. But not only did the main character have a working, enjoyable plot line, but so did the love interest, the best friend and the best friend’s love interest,” magnet sophomore Zorian Long said. 

The plot in and of itself cured the achy rom-com hole in the hearts of fans of the genre. Instead of the traditional route of films centering on the lead, every character felt fleshed out, and the four principal teens experienced their own expeditions into young love. While Mandy and Graham held the spot as the movie’s central couple, fans still rooted for the love story between Ben and Latoya, and expressed feelings of joy with their union at the end of the film. Nothing in “Prom Pact” felt unfinished at the movie’s end; all conflicts became resolved, and there remained no unanswered questions in terms of the plot. 

The film utilized popular facets of romance genre tropes to appeal to its younger demographic. Fans on platforms such as TikTok obsessed over the dynamic between Mandy and Graham, and drew parallels between them and the couple “Naley” on the 2000s teen series “One Tree Hill.” Viewers also created several edits of the pair, as well as other characters featured in the movie. As of April 2023, #PromPact holds 70.0 million views on the video streaming platform. 

A downside of “Prom Pact” stands from its potential for forget-ability. While the movie served its central purpose throughout its duration—to keep the audience entertained— the movie feels like a project that fades into the background in one’s to-watch list. The film stood as an amusing experience, but falls short in memorability, as opposed to other rom-coms such as “A Walk to Remember” or “Love & Basketball.”

“I liked how the movie was modern without seeming like it was written by adults. The actors generally played their age, and the dialogue felt young. I find it hard to watch plots where one of the character[s] is using the other, but the chemistry between the two actors made it bearable. Peyton and Milo’s long-term friendship is easily shown on screen. It was refreshing to see a movie based on friendship and not so much romance, although that is trending these days. It was an easy watch, but I’m not sure I would seek it out,” sophomore Ashley Williams said. 

Overall, “Prom Pact” served one integral purpose: to reinvigorate modern romantic comedy. By pulling inspiration from past decades and tropes, the movie allows audiences to find joy in their positive nuances. While the program may not stand as one’s first choice to revisit, it engenders belly laughs, sighs of empathy and an urge to sing along that creates an enjoyable viewing experience. 

The Chant’s Grade: A