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Down to You

Starring: Freddie Prinze, Jr., Julia Stiles
Director: Kris Isacsson
Genre: Comedy
Year: 2000
Rating: 2 / 5

I must admit that I can occasionally be a sucker for a well-written teen romance. I enjoyed Can't Hardly Wait and I was pleasantly surprised by She's All That. That being said, Down to You, another Freddie Prinze, Jr. vehicle, is only mildly entertaining, be that compared to films in general or this particular genre. This Kris Isacsson tale, following two young collegians who fall hard for each other only to eventually drift apart, is warm and sometimes funny. Unfortunately, as we wait to see if fate will ever bring these two lovers back together again, we are left to wonder why they were together in the first place.

Al Connelly (Freddie Prinze, Jr.) is a New Yorker with a pretty unusual claim to fame - he is the son of local cooking show guru Chef Ray (Henry Winkler). Enrolled at a local university, Al's typical college lifestyle is turned upside-down after a chance encounter with Imogen (Julia Stiles). This meeting in a smoky bar leads to a rendez-vous in her dorm room, and, shortly thereafter, these two consenting adults are engaging in activities not suitable for minors. The passion is very real, and their love grows with each passing day. Al and Imogen find themselves spending every waking minute together, and nothing, not even Imogen's summer in France, seems capable of pulling them apart.

Alas, that is just what happens. While Imogen's travels do not separate these two young romantics, their relationship appears to be forever changed after her return. Al and Imogen are quicker to anger, and their patience and understanding are not what they once were. After an ill-timed affair forces the two apart, we are left to wonder if these two will ever cross paths again. Are they true lovers that fate will eventually join? Or are they unfortunate souls that just so happened to meet each other too early in life?

Freddie Prinze, Jr. plays Al as a rather affable fellow, the kind of boyfriend any parent would wish for his daughter. This role is not exactly a stretch for Prinze, who seems to be in serious danger of being typecast as a lovesick young adult. Julia Stiles (10 Things I Hate About You) is a welcome face in this teen comedy landscape, and, unlike some other actresses, she is actually able to convey the necessary maturity demanded by her character. Prinze and Stiles certainly click while on-screen, but the film skips along past their initial courtship. We are left to ponder the deterioration of a relationship whose origin is shrouded in uncertainty. This leaves Down to You among the ranks of the merely enjoyable, one which will be forgotten mere days after viewing.

Cast:

Certification: Rated PG-13.
Running Time: 91 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
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