"Hey, James Bond, in America we drive on the right side of the road."
"I am! You try driving in platforms."
Clueless is the gold standard for several genres: teen romantic comedy, subtle Jane Austen adaptation, instant '90s nostalgia-maker ....
While I enjoy every part of the movie, from Tai sobbing over "El-Uhn" to Travis Birkenstock trying to jump out of a first-floor window after receiving his failing grade, it was undeniably the romance between Cher and Josh that first drew me in.
Honestly, I've been sighing over Paul Rudd and his self-deprecating sarcasm -- and, oh, fine, those dreamy eyes -- ever since. But as much as I love Rudd, there's more than just his charisma at work. Alicia Silverstone's Cher is the perfect foil for Rudd's Josh. She's bubbly and warm and she sparkles throughout the film, but most especially in her scenes with Rudd. Their banter (a key ingredient in romantic comedy, and one which cannot be faked between costars who lack chemistry) never fails, even after multiple viewings, to make me laugh, sigh, and swoon.
Combine the movie's success and the appeal of its stars -- even though Ms. Silverstone has unfortunately fallen off the radar in the last few years -- and you have a perfect potential reunion. A few ideas:
Rival co-workers: Silverstone and Rudd could shine as flunkies in a coffee shop, coaches of opposing sports teams, or bickering television co-presenters.
Shared history: as a popular girl and a loser guy who find each other at their high school reunion, they could reprise their Cher and Josh dynamic without the overly literal idea of a sequel.
Meet-cutes: a journalist (Silverstone) is assigned to interview a reclusive musician (Rudd); a teacher (Rudd) falls in love with his student's single mom (Silverstone).
None of them are revolutionary pitches, but when was the last time you saw a truly original romantic comedy? What matters is the actors' chemistry. And I'd bet that the sparks between Silverstone and Rudd have survived the intervening years.
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