- Director: Gil Junger
- Year: 1999
Overview
Cameron wants to date Bianca, but her strict father won't let her date unless her unpopular older sister Kat does too. Cameron and his friend Michael scheme to get a wealthy bad boy named Patrick to date Kat. Patrick doesn't like her at first, but he accepts the money to pursue her. He doesn't expect to actually fall for her, and she doesn't expect to open up to him. Kat finds out about the bribe and gets angry, but Patrick tries to win her back. The dad eventually realizes his rules aren't keeping his daughters safe, just distant from the world.
Takeaways
High school is a minefield where reputation dictates who talks to whom. The father's strict dating rule is meant to keep Bianca single, but it backfires by prompting the boys to hatch a scheme to bribe Patrick into dating Kat. Patrick only agrees for the money, but he actually falls in love with Kat as they get to know each other. When Kat finds out about the bribe, the betrayal destroys her trust, showing that paying someone to date a girl is bound to explode in your face. Ultimately, Patrick's genuine apology wins Kat back, and their dad realizes he has to trust his daughters to make their own choices.