A teenage boy named Cameron James is a new student at Padua High School, located near Seattle. He learns about the different types of students at this school.

The biggest thing he discovers is that there are 2 sisters who are each a sophomore and senior: Kat and Bianca Stratford. He starts developing feelings for them – except that their widowed father won’t allow them to date. That is because he’s worried that they’ll end up pregnant.

Bianca, however, wants a normal teenage life with typical social activities. Yet she is unable to successfully convince her dad that.

Then Kat talks about what she wants, even if Mr. Stratford does not support them. For instance, Kat wants to go to Sarah Lawrence for college. But her father wants her to be closer to home.

Due to his daughters’ opposite desires, Mr. Stratford starts changing his rules. Bianca can date—only if Kat does. But Kat is not exactly the most social.

Cameron finally asks Bianca out. Bianca tells him about her dad’s updated guideline and suggests that he looks for somebody to date Kat.

Bianca also feels that she doesn’t know Cameron that well. So, she decides to go out with this senior boy, Joey Donner.

An Australian “bad boy” named Patrick Verona gets paid to ask Kat out. He does what he can to win her—except that she rejects each offer.

Sometime later, Kat gets so angry at someone that she purposely hits their car. Of course, her father is unhappy about that.

Bianca and Kat tell their dad about an upcoming party, which he is hesitant to let them attend. He even makes Bianca wear a fake pregnant belly to warn her about teen pregnancies and how that can happen at social events.

At the party, Kat notices Bianca with Joey. It upsets her to the point where she gets drunk. She also dances but hits her head on something. Patrick finds her and discourages her from falling asleep, even though she wants to. He worries that she’ll never “wake up” again.

Bianca hangs with Joey, which upsets Cameron. Cameron gives her a ride home, although he’s annoyed at her. But she kisses him.

Regardless of how she was resistant to him at first, Kat spends time with Patrick. Patrick also wants to start a band.

At some point, Joey pays Patrick to ask Kat to the prom. That way, Bianca can also go.

Patrick’s relationship with Kat begins to fall apart, however. Not long after, she is in gym class—when suddenly, Patrick sings the song, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” to a microphone in front of the whole school. Even the band plays along with it.

Despite the public embarrassment, Kat does get back together with Patrick. But Patrick gets detention.

Yet Kat finds a way to get him out. That is to distract the teacher in charge by “discussing improvements to the girls’ soccer team.” Patrick sneaks out through a window and succeeds.

Kat and Patrick’s relationship grows… until he asks her out to the prom and demands that she goes with him. That prompts her to decline. Not only that, but Kat also discovers that Patrick was paid to date her. Obviously, that angers her.

Desperate to go to the prom, in spite of being a sophomore, Bianca accepts Joey’s invitation to it since Cameron failed to ask her out. However, if Kat doesn’t go, then Mr. Stratford will forbid Bianca from attending.

Kat confesses to Bianca that she and Joey dated in their freshman year. They also did each other—except that Kat hadn’t felt ready. So, Joey dumped her. That is why she’s pretty much anti-social.

What will this lead to for both Kat and Bianca?

This movie kept my attention all the way through. Despite that, though, I will admit that it did get confusing at times. This was because it constantly switched points-of-view between Kat and Bianca.

Yet I understand that that was important. Bianca and Kat were both very well-developed. I admire how they were pretty much opposites. And not just in their social lives, but also their personalities.

Bianca was enthusiastic and outgoing. Kat was more reserved and introverted. To be honest, I didn’t exactly find Kat’s relationship with Patrick to be that sweet. Patrick tried to get her to love him, although it was clearly forced and unnatural. But it did have some good moments, such as when Kat helped him sneak out of detention.

I will also confess that Mr. Stratford wasn’t always likable, either, because he was overprotective, including with Kat. But he was still nice in general.

Kat’s English teacher, Mr. Morgan, was interesting, yet he didn’t always talk appropriately. He would sometimes swear.

Yes, it’s a movie, and yes, it’s rated PG-13. But I was still displeased by Mr. Morgan cursing in his class since it’s unnatural and unprofessional in a school. On the bright side, he was creative when it came to assignments.

Another strength is the pacing. It’s fast for the most part.

And above all, the concept of the story was strong. I like the idea of guys wanting to go out with girls who aren’t allowed to date but find ways around it.

Overall, I enjoyed 10 Things I Hate About You. It was a good movie with a great premise and memorable characters.

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars.