The To Do List (2013)

I enjoy a good sex comedy. Combine that with a coming of age flick, and you get Maggie Carey's The To Do List. The To Do List is a movie about letting go of your insecurities and learning more about yourself as you explore sex and friendships. Mistakes happen, hearts are broken, and memories are made as Brandy Klark feels her way through her last summer as a virgin.

The Premise

Brandy Klark is ready to lose her virginity before going off to college in the fall. With the help of her sister and her friends, she makes a To-Do list of all the things she needs to do to get her ready for her first sexual experience with the very lusty Rusty Waters.

My Take

The girls who played Brandy Karl's friends stood out and stole many of the scenes they were in. Their characters were perfect examples of high school girls trying to be grown ups. Alia Shawkat played friend Fiona and Sarah Steele played friend Wendy. They were the perfect comedic compliment to Aubrey Plaza's rendition of very a serious and studious Brandy Karl. All three girls worked together to form a cohesive unit of horny teenagers exploring sex in the early 1990's.

Scott Porter was the object of Brandy's affection as he portrayed life guard, Rusty Waters. He was everything a girl could want as her 'first'. He was tall, blond, tan and played the guitar. And he was a college boy, to boot. Cameron was the cute, but platonic, boy in the story. Played by Johnny Simmons, Cameron was used for some of Brandy's sexual experiments but ended up having his poor little heart stepped on when he when discovered that Brandy had her eyes on a hunkier prize. Simmons was hilarious and was able to hold his own against the more experienced Bill Hader, who played a prominent role in the movie as the teens' boss at the neighborhood pool.

Adding to Brandy's sexual escapades were Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Andy Samberg, and Donald Glover. Rachel Bilson and Connie Britton gave her some sound, and sometimes not so sound advice, along the way. Clark Gregg played Brandy's stodgy and traditional father. It was nice to see him play something other than Agent Coulson in the Marvel franchise.

The Verdict

The To Do List was well written, well directed, and well acted. There weren't any weak links as far as the cast goes. It was a cute coming of age story about a girl who had trouble letting loose. Sometimes, the main character felt a little hard to relate to, but Aubrey Plaza managed to make her charming and likable. Likewise with Connie Britton's portrayal of Brandy's mother. I give The To Do List 4/5 friends with benefits, because, while it wasn't perfect, the direction and the cast made up for any imperfections.