Disturbing Behavior

Our new-to-town hero, could-be Gap model Steve (James Marsden), is informed by his ghoulish classmate Gavin (Nick Stahl) that Cradle Bay High has a strict hierarchy. Over the social serfs -- skaters, nerds, car freaks -- reign the "Blue Ribbons," a clique of good-looking, clean-cut, neatly dressed athletic types. After a school-sponsored "Weekend Enlightenment Seminar," these "toxic jocks" (girls included) get great grades, toast smoothies in the yogurt shoppe, and go absolutely berserk when sexually aroused. And they're looking to recruit Steve.

Katie Holmes, as beautiful white-trash gal Rachel, does the tough-girl routine she's mastered in Dawson's Creek, but she has about two lines in the entire film -- and one of them is "razor" (translation: cool). There's a trite scene in a psychiatric institution where the mentally ill are screaming caricatures, and in what is supposed to be a gutsy move, Rachel slugs a "crazy" girl in the face to get her to quiet down.

Razor? Not really. Despite an appealing angle (when aren't worried parents trying to smooth out teen rough spots?) and The X-Files' David Nutter in the director's chair, Scott Rosenberg's choppy, chintzy flick fails to deliver the thrill the promos promise. The realization you've paid money to see this silly quickie (83 minutes) may result in some disturbing behavior when the lights go on.

-- Rachel O'Malley