Themes: High School Life, Opposites Attract, Schemes and Ruses
Main Cast: Melissa Joan Hart, Adrian Grenier, Susan May Pratt, Kris Park, Mark Webber
Release Year: 1999
Country: US
Run Time: 91 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
Based on the novel, How I Created My Perfect Prom Date, by Todd Strasser, Drive Me Crazy stars Melissa Joan Hart as Nicole, a trend-conscious teenager living next door to Chase (Adrian Grenier), a self-conscious, downbeat type who reads poetry and spouts political platitudes. Needless to say, Nicole and Chase have nothing in common and little to say to each other. But when the boy of Nicole's dreams asks someone else to the prom, she decides to remake Chase into worthy date material as a way to make her old flame jealous. Before long, Nicole and Chase aren't just pretending that they like each other. Drive Me Crazy presented Sabrina, the Teenage Witch star Melissa Joan Hart in her first leading role in a feature film; it was produced under the title Girl Gives Birth to Prom Date and test-screened as Next to You before the producers settled on Drive Me Crazy. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Ali Larter - Dulcie; Stephen Collins - Mr. Maris; Gabriel Carpenter - Brad; Mark Metcalf - Mr. Rope; William Converse-Roberts - Mr. Hammond; Faye Grant - Mrs. Maris; Jordan Bridges - Eddie Lampell; Keram Malicki-Sanchez - Rupert; Doug MacMillan - Mr. Webb; Lee Holmes - Joshua; Lourdes Benedicto - Chloe Frost; Keri Lynn Pratt - Dee Vine; Natasha Pearce - Sue; Jacque Gray - Kathy; Kristy Wu - Liz; Terry Cain - diner waitress; Derrick Shore - Tom; Andrew Roach - Big Fred; Joey Lopez - Student TV director; Jessica Frandsen - Drena; Ivey Lloyd - pretty girl; Lauren Renée Boyer - vixen; Elizabeth Hart - vixen; Mary A. Daniels - faculty sponsor; Holly Swain - Nordic Blonde; Maya Ford - Electrocutes bass; Torrance Castellano - Electrocutes drums; Allison Robertson - Electrocutes guitar; Brett Anderson - Electrocutes vocals; Marc Valasquez - Pit Band lead singer; Brendon Te - Pit Band guitar; Tone Te - Pit Band drums; Darby Bailey - Pit Band bass
Credit
Georgianne Walken - Casting, Cate Praggastis - Casting, Sheila Jaffe - Casting, Julia Kim - Casting, Greg Kendall - Conductor, Nancy Paloian-Breznikar - Co-producer, Genevieve Tyrrell - Costume Designer, Jim Goldthwait - First Assistant Director, Paul N. Martin - First Assistant Director, Miriam Epstein - First Assistant Director, John Schultz - Director, John Pace - Editor, John Chandler - Editor, Greg Kendall - Composer (Music Score), Manish Raval - Musical Direction/Supervision, Tom Wolfe - Musical Direction/Supervision, Michael Lund - Camera Operator, Pat Reddish - Camera Operator, Aaron Osborne - Production Designer, Kees Van Oostrum - Cinematographer, Leigh Shanta - Production Manager, Amy Robinson - Producer, Carl Stensel - Set Designer, Erin Cochran - Set Designer, John R. Uibel - Set Designer, Jonathan "Earl" Stein - Sound Mixer, Bill McIntosh - Stunts Coordinator, Rob Thomas - Screenwriter, Michael Kamper - Sound Effects Editor, Jeff Whitcher - Sound Effects Editor, Jeff K. Brunello - Sound Effects Editor, Rebecca Hanck - Sound Effects Editor, Chris Smith - Sound Effects Editor, Glen Auchinachie - Music Editor, Bobby Kendall - Musical Performer, Meredith Byam - Musical Performer, Jake Guralnick - Musical Performer, Mike Leahy - Musical Performer, David Schlichting - Musical Performer, Ed Silvia - Musical Performer, Gregory C. Earls - Production Coordinator, Audra Cervantes - Production Coordinator, Linda Warrilow - Production Supervisor, Ken Teaney - Re-Recording Mixer, Marshall Garlington - Re-Recording Mixer, Suzanne Bingham - Script Supervisor, Rick H. Josephsen - Special Effects Coordinator, Geoff Haley - Steadicam Operator, Andrew DeCristofaro - Supervising Sound Editor, Paul Curtis - ADR Editor, John Stuver - ADR Editor, David B. Smith - Assistant Location Manager, Heidi Higginbotham - Costumes Supervisor, Paul Curtis - Dialogue Editor, John Stuver - Dialogue Editor, Gregg Barbanell - Foley Artist, Joan Rowe - Foley Artist, Sean Rowe - Foley Artist, Eric Thompson - Foley Artist, Shawn Kennelly - Foley Artist, Daniel Scolnik - Foley Artist, Chris Staszak - Foley Artist, Julie Woods - Key Hairstylist, Greg T. Moon - Key Make-up, Melissa Levander - Set Decorator, Todd Strasser - Short Story Author
Drive Me Crazy is a teen-oriented romantic comedy based on the novel How I Created My Perfect Prom Date by Todd Strasser. Originally entitled Next to You, the movie's title was changed to "Drive Me Crazy" after the song from its soundtrack, Britney Spears's song, (You Drive Me) Crazy. However, the song failed to adequately promote the movie, which ended up grossing a modest $17,843,379 domestically, against an $8 million budget.[2] The soundtrack also featured The Donnas who appeared in the movie.
Nicole Maris (Melissa Joan Hart) and Chase Hammond (Adrian Grenier) live next door to each other. Nicole's parents are divorced and Nicole lives with her mother and Chase's mother died of cancer, making them teens living with their single parents. However, they are worlds apart. Nicole is up on the latest fashions; Chase, on the latest protest. She wouldn't miss a pep rally or basketball game with her scheming socialite friends; he can usually be found in a dark coffee room with his friends who don't care what they wear.
Nicole wants a dream date with the star basketball player, but right before it was certain they were going together, he falls in love with a cheerleader. Meanwhile, Chase's "non-conformist" girlfriend, Dulcie (Ali Larter) dumps him for another man. Now that they have something in common, Nicole and Chase reluctantly join forces to navigate the land mines of high school love.
Their scheme: date each other to attract the interest and jealousy of their respective romantic prey. It works all right: they both get the person they wanted. But in the midst of planning a gala centennial celebration, Nicole and Chase find that the one they always wanted, is closer than they ever realized. Finally, they dump their original dates and fall in love with each other.
There is still one big twist that could ruin their relationship forever in the end. After the celebration ends, they go back home only to find out that their parents have fallen in love and will move in together, which would make them step-siblings. However, the movie ends with the feeling that they aren't going to let that fact stop their relationship.
