One of my all-time favorite movies is "10 Things I Hate About You" (1999) starring Julia Stiles as Kat Stratford and Heath Ledger as Patrick Verona. For those of you who have never seen the movie, I will provide you with a quick synopsis. Kat is the girl who cares very little about what her peers think of her, so she speaks her mind freely and is uninterested in conforming to societal expectations. Kat's younger sister, Bianca, is the exact opposite of Kat and is interested in dating the most popular boy at school (who, by the way, is the definition of a jerk). Unfortunately, according to their father, Bianca isn't allowed to date until Kat does. Since Kat is set on not following along with mainstream expectations, nobody expects Kat to date anytime soon. Then Patrick Verona walks into the picture. Cameron (Bianca's friend) has his heart set on dating Bianca and sets up a master plan to steal her heart by getting rid of the popular guy who she wants to date and setting Patrick up with Kat. If that doesn't sound dramatic and exciting, I don't know what does.
Through all of this drama, comedy, and romance, "10 Things I Hate About You" has consistently remained one of my favorite movies after years.
1. Kat is a strong female lead who lets her voice be heard.
She is a feminist at heart and makes sure that everyone knows it. Imagine having the guts to stand up to the stuck up, pretentious boy from class. Kat does that and she does it with ease.
2. Cameron proves that it is worth chasing after someone you want.
Never let anyone's opinion get in the way of all of the effort that you put in.
3. Heath Ledger's smile is probably the most beautiful smile that I have ever seen in my life.
Even if the plot doesn't sound interesting to you, just watch this movie for his smile. You won't regret it.
4. Cameron learned French to get Bianca's attention.
He actually learned a foreign language so that he could spend time with her. Gentlemen, this is how you get the girl.
5. Or, maybe, you can get the girl like this.
Patrick serenaded Kat in front of the entire school. Where can I find a boy this romantic?
6. Not everyone is how they seem.
Rumor has it that Patrick Verona has no liver, worked in the porn industry, and he went to prison. The lesson here is that you shouldn't believe everything that you hear.
7. Kat's appreciation for literature is admirable.
Given the fact that "10 Things I Hate About You" is adapted from Shakespeare's play "The Taming of the Shrew," classic literature clearly played a large role in the creation of this amazing film. Classics are mentioned throughout and my inner book-lover loved every second of it.
8. Beauty isn't everything when it comes to love.
It all really comes down to how you treat those who you love.
9. Mr. Stratford's pre-party warning describes dads everywhere.
He sounds just like my dad: overprotective and overly worried about his daughters' well being. Love to hate this fatherly characteristic.
10. Kat's poem at the end of the movie is inspirational.
"But mostly, I hate the way I don't hate you, not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all." Yeah, she's talking to you Patrick Verona!
Those are 10 reasons I love "10 Things I Hate About You" and 10 reasons that I think you should love it too. Now, if you still haven't been convinced that "10 Things I Hate About You" is totally worth seeing, just take one more look at Heath Ledger's smile. Trust me, it's worth it.
