Movie Review: "The Duff" Shows The Real Stuff Underdogs Are Made Of

[yasr_overall_rating]

A high school senior instigates a social pecking order revolution after finding out that she has been labeled the DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) to her prettier more popular friends.

Assuming you’ve already prepared yourself for the adventures of teenage conventional wisdom, it is no surprise that this film is chock full of scenes revolving around peer pressure, corny jokes and cliques. What comes as a surprise is the masterful way that Director Ari Sandel has captured the redemptive story of triumph over bullies. The very first scenes of the film take place in the school hallways which seem to be the breeding ground for the beginning and ending of all things social. Everyone is labeled with a title befitting the current status quo and even if it isn’t deserved or substantiated, it is the truth according to the most poplar chick at the school, Madison Morgan (Bella Thorne).

What Madison doesn’t realize is that her reign of greatness is only temporary as Bianca Piper (Mae Whitman) uses her own set of resources to level the playing field. Unbeknownst to Bianca, she has been chosen as the DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend). Childhood neighbor and confidant Wesley (Robbie Amell) who happens to be a star football player and the on and off boyfriend of Madison, has broken the news to her and she is in denial. When she realizes that her relationship with gal pals Jess (Skyler Samuels) and Casey (Bianca A. Santos) is the epitome of DUFFness, she drops the friendship.

When Wesley gets put off the football team because of failing grades in Science, Bianca makes a deal with him to make him successful in Science if he teaches her how to not be DUFFy. A hilarious and heartwarming transformation occurs as Wesley and Bianca go through the various stages of transformation. With each of them dealing with other personal distractions along the way, they are drawn closer together, realizing that the only acceptance they may be vying for is from one another. In the end, various relationship issues are resolved and being the DUFF takes on a whole new social status for the entire school. Don’t Miss It!

In theaters Feb. 20th