The big thing going for the movie Careful What You Wish For is Nick Jonas in the lead and a plot that’s not been run into the ground, yet. Tailoring to the teen and twenties set, the film takes on a dark side as it progresses until there’s seemingly no way out for a teen that dares to take a walk on the wild side. The very popular Nick Jonas should attract a huge interest with the older teen set, but not enough to make the DVD a winner.
The summer holds dreams of a good time at the lake for teenage Doug (Nick Jonas) and his best friend Carson (Graham Rogers). After all, Carson has a boat, the lake is crowded with high school girls and playtime is just minutes away at the “Busted Rudder” a hangout for the college crowd. Carson has a bright idea of putting some mattresses in an old boathouse and Doug agrees that it will make a cool secluded place if they get “lucky”.
As Doug returns from the lake one afternoon he notices a couple moving in next door. He soon finds out that they are investment banker Elliot Harper (Dermot Mulroney) and his wife Lena (Isabel Lucas) who have bought the house for a retreat from the big city. As luck would have it for Doug, Lena takes a liking to him and some flirtation begins. When it starts to become more than a flirt, things start to get dicey for the teen.
Seasoned director Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum (Ramona and Beezus) moves her film along at a fast clip, but maybe a little hurried. Her main characters come into the picture a little too quickly not giving the audience a chance to get acquainted enough to empathize with each. While we get a hint that Doug has issues and even a shy side that prevents him from meeting girls, he’s still a bit of a voyeur when it comes to checking out his much older neighbor who just moved in. She shows his flaws and susceptibility to being an easy prey, but at the same time overstates the “attraction” by Lena revealing a little too much about her intentions.
Nick Jonas does a good job of portraying Doug the teen who wants to erase the thought of being a virgin before going to college. You can see the burning desire to be with a woman, not a teeny bopper or even a college freshman. He’s proud of his opening conquest with this more mature female who he can brag about and make his friend Carson jealous. Doug has a big weakness however, she has him on the end of a leash and he shows it.
As the femme fatal, Isabel Lucas works her magic on her young puppy and does it well. Although somewhat predictable at first, her character evolves over the first two chapters keeping the audience off guard. I like her flare and she provides the necessary chemistry to offer a believable attraction to the young man. This coupled with her loneliness created by her absentee husband who travels a lot, makes for a good story line.
Careful What You Wish For has been rated R for some sexual content/nudity and language. The sex may be a bit steamy, so be sure to watch the DVD before letting the under 17 year old watch the film.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A cool film for the teens and twenties. (C+)
Specifications and additional video information:
Cast: Nick Jonas, Isabel Lucas, Dermot Mulroney, Graham Rogers, Paul Sorvino, Kandyse McClure
Directed by: Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum
MPAA Rating: R for some sexual content/nudity and language
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Running Time: 1hr. 31 min.
Original Theatrical Release Date: June 10, 2016
Video Release Date: August 2, 2016
Language: English
Reviewed Format: DVD
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen, Aspect Ratio 2.35:1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Number of Discs: 1 disc
Distributed by: Anchor Bay Entertainment
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
