Writer Chad Gomez Creasy has a cool idea for “Sydney White” (2007) – to take the basic outline of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves” and move it to a modern college setting. The juxtaposition works surprisingly smoothly, and a game cast is up for lightly modernizing these 19th century Brothers Grimm roles. It’s a fun one-time viewing.
But director Joe Nussbaum’s film – his third after breaking through with 1999’s short “George Lucas in Love” – is hurt by being so obvious. For example, Sara Paxton — as Rachel Witchburn, the sorority leader, reigning hottest girl on campus (remember those “hot or not” websites?) and student council president – has the thankless one-note Evil Queen gig.
But then again, “Snow White” is obvious. Most Disney products are obvious; their target audience is very young viewers. However, because “Sydney White” is for older viewers, I wish it was cleverer.
“Sydney White” (2007)
Director: Joe Nussbaum
Writer: Chad Gomez Creasey
Stars: Amanda Bynes, Sara Paxton, Matt Long
Sydney White and the Seven Dorks
Instead, it’s content to get by on the adorableness of Amanda Bynes, who – as with the Shakespeare update “She’s the Man” from one year prior – relies on competent sitcom acting. She knows how to make her face look a certain way for reaction shots, and she delivers lines in the right cadence and hits marks.
Bynes doesn’t need much help, but Creasy and the prop team make sure to present tomboy Sydney as every college dork’s dream girl. Sydney opens her suitcase to reveal not fashionable dresses but rather her comic book collection, including issues of “Usagi Yojimbo.”
The Seven Dwarves become the Seven Dorks, residing in the Vortex, a collapsing house on Greek row for students who have no better housing option. Speaking of actors staying in their known range, the Dorks include Samm Levine (“Freaks and Geeks”) as Happy and Danny Strong (“Buffy,” “Gilmore Girls”) as Grumpy.
The idea that the exchange student (Donte Bonner) is Sleepy because he’s in perpetual jetlag since coming over from Nigeria is amusing, and the notion that Bashful (Adam Hendershott) communicates using a hand puppet is sweet. But these characters don’t develop much.
Slightly standing out from the pack is Jack Carpenter; although saddled with the Sneezy role, he seems like he’ll undergo a “He’s All That” type of transformation. A cute Southern gal (Crystal Hunt) likes him for who he is, so that’s rather nice. “Sydney White” has this general good-naturedness.
Hurt by its obviousness
Again, the prop team adds cachet to the Vortex’s goings-on. A Power of the Force Luke Skywalker in Endor Fatigues action figure makes an appearance during the Dorks’ poker game. The Vortex has nerdy character, and sticking Sydney in the loft like a princess is a nice touch.
When Sydney moves in with the Seven Dorks, it seems like awkward gender-clash laughs should ensue, but the setups are tame, even though Nussbaum was coming off an “American Pie” straight-to-video movie. A Dork walks in on Sydney shaving her legs and is flustered; that’s the extent of it. This really is a rather snow-white movie.
The heartthrob for female viewers is of course dimpled Matt Long, perfect for this role where he merely has to charm Sydney, rather than needing to play nuance like in “Jack & Bobby.” At about mid-film, when Sydney learns Long’s Tyler Prince volunteers at a food kitchen in his spare time, “Sydney White” signals that it isn’t interested in complexity.
The film hits beats so blatantly that it diminishes the good messages about how different groups of people need not hate each other – they need only hate the Evil Queen, and she’s supremely easy to hate. The “I’m a dork!” finale, riffing on “Revenge of the Nerds,” is not particularly earned. “Nerds” is one film that does this subgenre better, and there are many others.
So considering its potential, “Sydney White” is a little dopey. But it’s cute and fun enough that it didn’t make me sleepy or grumpy.