November 11, 2011 – The Disney Channel Original Movie Geek Charming Premieres
“I can’t believe that popular people like me are forced to share the same air as nerderers like you!”
On November 11, 2011, the Disney Channel Original Movie Geek Charming premiered. It was based on the book of the same name by Robin Palmer, and had over 4 million viewers on its premiere broadcast. It was directed by Jeffrey Hornaday, with story adapted by Elizabeth Hackett and Hilary Galanoy. It starred Sarah Hyland as Dylan Schoenfield, Matt Prokop as Josh Rosen, Sasha Pieterse as Amy Loubalu, Jordan Nichols as Asher, Andrew Airlie as Alan Schoenfield, and Lilli Birdsell as Sandy.
The movie begins with Dylan Schoenfield being crowned the Blossom Queen – or so she thinks. She’s been caught daydreaming about winning, and continues to sign up for the contest. Dylan is one of the most popular people at Woodlands Academy, and aims to win the crown so she can be the most popular person in the school. She has major competition in the form of Nicole Patterson, but Dylan takes the competition in stride. On her way to her seat in the lunch room, unpopular student Josh bumps into her, spilling his tray of tuna noodle casserole all over her shirt. She berates him in front of the entire school, but it turns out the reason he tripped is because she sprayed perfume in his face. Josh finally sits with his friends, and it’s revealed that he has a crush on Amy Loubalu, an indie rocker and Dylan’s ex-best friend. The conversation turns back to an upcoming film festival, and Josh has no idea what to film.
Josh explains to his teacher that he’s having a problem coming up with a good subject for the film contest
Josh submits his application to the festival to his teacher, but the best he can come up with is a documentary on the evolution of robot voices. His teacher, Mr. Farley, inspires him to pick a human subject out of his element. After school, Dylan heads to the mall with her father, and while he obviously loves her, he is always busy with work. Josh works at the same mall, and he spots his crush, Amy, walking by. As he tries to follow her, he spots Dylan, who accidentally throws her purse into the mall’s fountain. Inspired, he decides to go into the fountain to get her purse, hoping to score a favor from her: to be the subject of his film. However, she doesn’t even thank him for retrieving her purse. She finally agrees to star in his film when she realizes that the movie would cinch her the title of Blossom Queen.
Dylan heads home after her busy day to find the house empty, and she decides to go through some of her mother’s belongings, revealing that her mother died while she was in elementary school. Josh heads to his own home, and explains to his mom, Sandy, his idea for the film festival. The next day, he submits his idea, and Mr. Farley is pleased, although he warns Josh to keep his “preconceived notions at the door.” The film shoot goes to a rocky start, as Dylan is rather high-maintenance, and the lunchroom is agog with the fact that Josh can freely enter the popular kids spot. Dylan is revealed to be a self-centered, stuck-up teenager, and Josh is trying to take Mr. Farley’s advice and not make any judgments. When Dylan’s busy in a changing room at the mall, he asks her friends Hannah and Lola for what they really think of Dylan, and the answers are not pretty.
Dylan explains to Josh that people are in groups for a reason, and shouldn’t venture outside
Dylan argues that people should stay within their social groups to avoid misunderstandings; she doesn’t want Josh thinking that he can ask her out. She also doesn’t reveal any goals after high school, and when playing back the film later, he has no idea how to turn the film into a true documentary. His mom tries to convince him to dig deeper and find the true Dylan Schoenfield, but Josh is more than a little reluctant. While at a beach party, Josh tries to film Dylan, but gets distracted by his crush Amy. Dylan notices and throws a volleyball at Josh to get his attention, and inadvertently reveals that Dylan and Amy used to be friends. Using this as a way to dig deeper, he continues to ask her for information, but doesn’t really get anywhere. Her boyfriend Asher treats Dylan horribly, and it gets worse when her car gets towed for seven unpaid parking tickets. Josh has to give her a ride, which she does not accept graciously. Unfortunately, his car completely breaks down, and they have to walk to a gas station.
Dylan continues to act like a diva, and he loses it, calling her a selfish whiner and firing her from his movie. Worse news for Josh: he doesn’t have enough time to change his film. Mr. Farley convinces him to try again, and Dylan is convinced to try again so she can garner votes for Blossom Queen. Dylan heads to the Film Club field trip to ask Josh for a second chance, and finds herself actually enjoying the film. Dylan surprises the group with an explanation of a complicated science theory, and Josh asks her later why she hides her smarts; she reveals that only geeks get good grades. The two agree to work together again, but with one condition: she doesn’t act like a diva anymore. After he drives her home, she invites him inside to hang out. The two bond over the creation of an “everything-but-the-kitchen-sink-sundae,” and he sees a different side to her. She gives him advice on how to ask Amy out, and he tells her that Asher is an idiot. The two then talk about her mom, who was once Blossom Queen. Dylan wants to be Blossom Queen so she could feel closer to her mom. They bond further still when she gives him a makeover.
As thanks for the makeover, and to save Dylan from being with her father’s new girlfriend, Josh invites her over for dinner
Josh invites Dylan over for dinner, as she doesn’t want to meet his father’s girlfriend. His mother embarrasses him by asking if they’re dating, but Dylan clears it up for Sandy, although she admits that Josh is amazing. While Josh and Dylan play fight in the kitchen, Sandy manages to capture it all on tape. The next day at school, people are amazed by Josh’s new look, with all sorts of people taking notice, and building his self-esteem. Josh’s friends, however, aren’t fans of the look, as they think he has a crush on Dylan and are leaving them behind. Dylan’s friends and boyfriend aren’t happy either, as they still think Josh is nothing more than a geek. Meanwhile, Josh finally gets the nerve to ask Amy out, and Dylan is seen looking rather upset. When Josh is at his job in the mall, Mr. Schoenfield finds him and, thinking that he’s dating Dylan, invites him over for dinner. Dylan arrives home to see Josh’s car, and finds Josh teaching her father about science-fiction films. Although Dylan tries to convince her father that they aren’t dating, but their behavior suggests otherwise.
It’s the day of Josh’s date, and they’re off to Asher’s party, thanks to an invite from Dylan. Asher continues to ignore Dylan, and she grows jealous at how well Josh and Amy are interacting. Amy realizes that Josh isn’t that into her, and lets him go check on her. When he goes to talk to her, she reveals that she ditched Amy in the 6th grade, because she didn’t want to be in Amy’s shadow. However, when she tries to give Josh advice on how to win Amy over, Asher walks in on them, thinking that they’re dating. Josh takes Amy home, and Amy tells him she believes that he’s not dating Dylan, but that he wants to, and turns down his invite for the school dance. While editing his film, he finally realizes that he does care for Dylan. The next day, Dylan is running late for school, and accidentally drops her contacts down the drain, leaving her with no option but a pair of glasses. Refusing to wear them, she tries to go without, until she gets a note from Asher, saying that he’s breaking up with her. He tells her that she’s becoming a nerd, and refuses to hang out with her. Things get worse when Josh can’t sit with her at lunch, and her seat in the popular kids’ section has been replaced with Nicole Patterson.
Josh is dismayed when his friends all but reject him after he continues to neglect them
Josh’s friend also dump him for spending too much time with Dylan, and he heads home, confused with what to do with his film. Josh decides that it’s okay that his truth has changed, and he has found a way to edit his film to his new vision. After school, Dylan finds her friends dress shopping without her, and they tell her that it’s because she’s always off with Josh and doesn’t have a date for the dance. Soon, the day of the film festival is here, and Josh’s film premieres. Dylan sneaks in to watch, and is uncomfortable with the laughs from the audience at her shallow comments. She is hurt by the film’s direction, and leaves midway. Josh sees her leave and chases after her. She is hurt by what he chose to show, and how he doesn’t understand her at all. However, the film takes a different turn, showing how Dylan is more than a shallow popular girl. The film is met with praise from the entire town, and later, Amy stops by Dylan’s to talk to her. Amy tells her that Josh is worried about her, but Dylan doesn’t believe her, until Amy tells her that Josh won first place. Amy then has Dylan watch the entire film to understand.
The Spring Formal arrives, and Dylan arrives wearing her mother’s old dress. Dylan’s popularity has gone up immensely, and she wins the title of Blossom Queen. Josh arrives just as Dylan is making her speech, and Dylan realizes that she has real friends in the form of Josh and Amy. She admits to the school that she likes Josh, and hurries off the stage to find him. The two share a kiss, giving the movie a happy ending.
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