Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging – DVD Review

Film, Reviews

Angus-Thongs_DVD

I’ll give you all a minute to stop giggling at the title. Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging is a British film (obviously) based on a widely popular young adult book series by author and comedian Louise Rennison. They follow the life of 14-year-old Georgia Nicolson and her friends as they struggle with boys, school, and growing up. And they also really do struggle with Angus, thongs, and perfect snogging.

Georgia Nicolson (played by plucky newcomer Georgia Groome) is a very typical teenager. She’s stressed because she doesn’t think she’s maturing fast enough and she’s completely self-obsessed. Her birthday is coming up and she demands to her constantly snogging parentals that she needs a “proper party” at a club with a DJ. They promptly turn her down, stating the obvious fact that she can’t even get into a club yet. Of course this isn’t good enough for Georgia, so she spends a lot of time moping and whining to her group of friends, otherwise known as the Ace Gang. Georgia also whines because she desperately wants a boyfriend. But not just any old boyfriend, but the one currently taken by Slaggy Lindsay who is gorgeous but has fake basoomers (nunga nungas) and wears thongs and boy entrancers.

Even though Georgia has her Ace Gang, she does get frustrated with them at times, especially Jas who has a boyfriend and is constantly talking about how fabby he is. So her one friend and confidante is her cat Angus with whom she schemes in a sad attempt to snog the poor boy who’s already snogging Lindsay.

Confused yet? Because the movie is chock-full of British slang and even MORE slang thought up by our luuurvely writer Ms. Rennison. Really though, the movie is very cute. Sort of like a Clueless meets The Baby-Sitter’s Club meets Mean Girls. Director Gurinda Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham) was such a fan of the books and she wanted to make the movie true to the source material (i.e. quite British). The frequent talk of snogging and boys being “sex gods” make it appropriate only for the teen crowd; this is most definitely not a children’s movie. However if I were fourteen or fifteen again, this would probably be one of my favorites. Perfect teen slumber party fare.

Presented in a widescreen format with Dolby Digital surround.

Commentary with Gurinda Chadha and the Ace Gang girls.

Double Cool with the Knobs On – A really well done behind the scenes. Although I still don’t know what “with the knobs on” means. (27:31)

Looking After Angus – Training the cat. (3:45)

First Kisses – Lots of the actors had their first kisses on screen. Cute. (2:50)

Working with Gurinder – Apparently Gurinda Chadha is a wonderful director to work with, as this featurette has the entire cast gushing about her. She also had twins just before filming began. I can’t imagine! (2:51)

Thongs, Bras, Lippie and Other Live Saving Essentials – A featurette about the costumes. (3:21)

Getting the Angus Look – Not about the cat’s costumes, but about lighting and color usage. (2:11)

Step Inside the Nicolson Household – Props and sets. (3:20)

First Night Nerves – Red carpet footage from the premiere. (2:09)

Angus Video Diaries – The cast was given video cameras and documented themselves playing around on set. (8:35)

Deleted Scenes – 9 total, all fitting for the cutting room floor. (9:52)

Bloopers (6:04)

Photo Gallery

Stiff Dylans Music Video “Ultraviolet” – The song for the film cut with scenes from the film. Not a bad band, actually. (3:00)

Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging, while not for my demographic, is a nice little teeny bopper movie. The extras were surprisingly good, if a little too extensive. If you have teenagers in the house, this is a nice alternative to iCarly and the like.


Paramount presents Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging. Directed by: Gurinda Chadha. Starring: Georgia Groome, Alan Davies, Karen Taylor. Written by: Gurinda Chadha, Paul Mayeda Berges. Running time: 100 minutes. Rating: PG-13. Released on DVD: January 19, 2010. Available at Amazon.com

Jenny is proud to be the First Lady of Inside Pulse Movies. She gives female and mommy perspective, and has two kids who help with rating family movies. (If they don't like 'em, what's the point?) She prefers horror movies to chick flicks, and she can easily hang with the guys as long as there are several frou-frou girlie drinks to be had.