Sure, it’s nice for a film to have a solid script paired with appropriate visuals, but sometimes, movies can get away with having the former, but not the latter. The bigger problem comes when you’re trying to achieve the reverse and mask weak writing with a pretty picture. In fact, in most instances, it’s impossible and Tanner Hall is certainly an example of one of those cases.
It’s another year at Tanner Hall boarding school. Fernanda, Kate and Lucasta (Rooney Mara, Brie Larson and Amy Ferguson) are back as usual, but this year, their trio picks up a fourth wheel, Fernanda’s childhood friend Victoria (Georgia King). While Kate and Lucasta are both easily swayed by Victoria’s power of persuasion, Fernanda’s onto her as she remembers Victoria’s darker side from their younger years.
On top of the rift in their friendships, each girl has an added trouble to manage. Victoria’s is the most deeply rooted, stemming from her mother’s drunken disapproval while Kate’s is a situation she creates herself, sexually taunting her teacher, Mr. Middlewood (Chris Kattan), until he finally takes the bait. Meanwhile, Lucasta’s having trouble managing her relationship with the local pizza boy, Hank (Shawn Pyfrom), while Fernanda kicks off one with a much older man, her mother’s friend’s husband, Gio (Tom Everett Scott).
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