16-Love

Last updated
16-Love
16-Love (2012 film) film poster.jpeg
Official poster
Directed byAdam Lipsius
Screenplay byLeigh Dunlap
Produced byIlyssa Goodman
Starring Lindsey Shaw
Chandler Massey
Keith Coulouris
Lindsey Black
Susie Abromeit
CinematographyAlan Caso
Edited byTina Pacheko
Music byRuss Howard III
Production
company
Uptown 6 Productions
Release date
  • January 20, 2012 (2012-01-20)
Running time
88 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

16-Love is a 2012 American romantic comedy film directed by Adam Lipsius, written by Leigh Dunlap, and starring Lindsey Shaw, Chandler Massey, Keith Coulouris, Lindsey Black, and Susie Abromeit. Produced by Ilyssa Goodman, and Adam Lipsius, the story centers on a 16-year-old female tennis prodigy who while sidelined by injury discovers the normal teenage life she has missed out on, including falling in love. It was released on January 20, 2012 in the United States.

Contents

Plot

Ally Mash is a 16-year-old high school student and prodigy tennis player. Her dad, who won the Open back in the day, is also her obsessive coach. He is always pushing her to become the best, and restricting her from doing things that can distract her, including through his disapproval of her best friend, Rebecca. She meets attractive amateur tennis player Farrell Gambles, who immediately likes her, though she rebuffs him due to his tennis level. One day during a tournament, she plays Russian rival Katina Upranova and injures her ankle, forfeiting the game. Her dad soon assembles a team of physical and mental therapists to help her get back on track.

Farrell asks Ally to coach him for an upcoming tournament, which if he wins, can help him get into college due to financial difficulties. Initially refusing, he aids her in a small situation at the mall, and she agrees. She trains him hard, through running and footwork exercises. She also confides in him that she's never experienced what normal teenagers get to do, like go out for ice cream or have a prom. So, he throws her a personal prom and she begins to like him as well.

Farrell begins playing in his tournament, rapidly advancing through with Ally's support. Her dad disapproves of her skipping therapy sessions to be at the matches, but she finally stands up and tells him that she will make her own decisions. During a photo session before finals, Katina notices Ally's attraction to Farrell and kisses him in front of her. Upset, she leaves and doesn't show up to his final match, which he loses. She also goes to an exclusive beach party held by mean popular girls at their school who refuse to invite Rebecca. Rebecca is hurt and takes a break from Ally. Farrell is also upset that she ditched him, and explains that Katina kissed him out of the blue.

Ally apologizes and then asks Farrell if he will be her partner in an upcoming mixed doubles tournament, to which he agrees and forgives her. They begin training together and end up winning the tournament, though Ally falls on her ankle again. Ally also enrolls in the singles tournament, for her rematch with Katina. With newfound confidence and her friends and family supporting her, she wins against Katina with her ankle injury and finally kisses Farrell.

The film ends with everyone happy with the way their life is going, and Ally satisfied with her balanced life of sports and social events.

Cast

Production

Leigh Dunlap wrote a filmscript called "Smash" about a teenage tennis romantic comedy that formed the basis of 16-Love. The script was promoted by producer Ilyssa Goodman who, in November, 2009, offered it to Adam Lipsius and his wife who had created the film company Uptown 6 Productions. They liked the script and decided to make the film. [1]

Lindsey Shaw was cast in the lead after impressing Lipsius at her audition. He recollected: "... She was so professional and passionate, I just saw her as Ally Mash". [1] Writer Dunlap picked Chandler Massey for male lead due to his acting skills and tennis skill, she wrote: " ... I fought the creative battle of my life to get (Massey) cast as the lead". [2] Lipsius was unconvinced by Massey at first but after playing a tennis game with him and discovering his romantic nature he decided he was right for the part. [1] Susie Abromeit, cast as the Russian player, was a top ten ranked junior who had a Duke University tennis scholarship. [3]

Shooting took place in the San Diego area and Denver over 21 days with ten of those days on a tennis court. Lipsius described the "vital closeness" of shooting the tennis scenes with close-ups of the players' faces to create intensity. CGI visual effects were used to transform 250 spectators into 2000. [3]

Massey commented that shooting the film was "... one of the greatest experiences of my life". [2]

Release

16-Love premiered in the United States on January 20, 2012 with a limited theatrical release along with television rotation, DVD release and on-line streaming. [2] [1] [4]

Reception

In her review of 16-Love for The New York Times , Jeannette Catsoulis criticized the script and direction as being clichéd. She considered: " ... 16-Love is in a sense the perfect movie for teenagers - you can text and tweet to your heart's content and never miss a thing". [5] In his review for Common Sense Media , Renee Schonfeld gave two stars from five. He criticized one-dimensional characters, teen film clichés, and excessive product placement, while praising the performances of Shaw and Massey. He concluded: " ... There's plenty of innocent romance and just enough tennis to hold the audience's interest and keep the story moving". [6] Dennis Harvey, reviewing for Variety criticized the script as predictable but praised the direction and performances. He concluded: " first time feature helmer Adam Lipsius keeps things slick and pacey, and the cast is decent within mostly one-dimensional roles". [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Abe Lincoln in Illinois</i> (film) 1940 film by John Cromwell

Abe Lincoln in Illinois is a 1940 biographical-drama film that depicts the life of Abraham Lincoln from his departure from Kentucky until his election as president of the United States. In the UK, the film is known by the alternate title Spirit of the People. The film was adapted by Grover Jones and Robert E. Sherwood from Sherwood's 1938 Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name. It was directed by John Cromwell.

<i>The Lovely Bones</i> 2002 novel by Alice Sebold

The Lovely Bones is a 2002 novel by American writer Alice Sebold. It is the story of a teenage girl who, after being raped and murdered, watches from her personal Heaven as her family and friends struggle to move on with their lives while she comes to terms with her own death. The novel received critical praise and became an instant bestseller. A film adaptation, directed by Peter Jackson, who personally purchased the rights, was released in 2009. The novel was also later adapted as a play of the same name, which premiered in England in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lindsey Shaw</span> American actress (born 1989)

Lindsey Shaw is an American actress. She is known for playing Jennifer "Moze" Mosely on the Nickelodeon series Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide. She also co-starred in the 2007 CW sitcom Aliens in America, and was the lead on ABC Family's 2009 comedy series 10 Things I Hate About You. From 2011 to 2017, she played the recurring role of Paige McCullers on the ABC Family teen drama series Pretty Little Liars.

<i>The Lovely Bones</i> (film) 2009 film by Peter Jackson

The Lovely Bones is a 2009 supernatural drama film directed by Peter Jackson from a screenplay he co-wrote with Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens. It is based on Alice Sebold's 2002 novel of the same name and stars Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli, and Saoirse Ronan. The plot follows a girl who is murdered and watches over her family from heaven and is torn between seeking vengeance on her killer and allowing her family to heal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Nimoy</span> American television director

Adam B. Nimoy is an American television director. He is the son of actors Leonard Nimoy and Sandra Zober.

<i>For Whom the Bell Tolls</i> (film) 1943 film by Sam Wood

For Whom the Bell Tolls is a 1943 American epic war film produced and directed by Sam Wood and starring Gary Cooper, Ingrid Bergman, Akim Tamiroff, Katina Paxinou and Joseph Calleia. The screenwriter Dudley Nichols based his script on the 1940 novel For Whom the Bell Tolls by American novelist Ernest Hemingway. The film is about an American International Brigades volunteer, Robert Jordan (Cooper), who is fighting in the Spanish Civil War against the fascists. During his desperate mission to blow up a strategically important bridge to protect Republican forces, Jordan falls in love with a young woman guerrilla fighter (Bergman).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JR Chandler and Babe Carey</span> Soap opera character

JR Chandler and Babe Carey are fictional characters of the JR and Babe or Jabe couple from the American daytime drama All My Children. JR Chandler was portrayed by Jacob Young. Babe Carey was portrayed by actress Alexa Havins, and then by Amanda Baker. Written as volatile and yet loving, the up-and-down romance tells of a young star-crossed couple who met one captivating night at the end of a fog-covered dock and from there are faced with much interference, significantly but unintentionally caused by each other, in their struggle for true happiness.

<i>Mourning Becomes Electra</i> (film) 1947 film

Mourning Becomes Electra is a 1947 American drama film by Dudley Nichols adapted from the 1931 Eugene O'Neill play Mourning Becomes Electra, based in turn on the Oresteia. The film stars Rosalind Russell, Michael Redgrave, Raymond Massey, Katina Paxinou, Leo Genn and Kirk Douglas.

Scott Chandler (<i>All My Children</i>) Fiction character from ABC daytime drama, All My Children

Scott Chandler is a fictional character from ABC daytime drama, All My Children. He was most recently portrayed by Adam Mayfield from April 9, 2009 to October 13, 2010. Previously, Scott was portrayed, most notably by Daniel Cosgrove from November 27, 1996 to July 28, 1998, and Forbes March from April 19, 1999 to September 14, 2000. He is a member of the powerful and wealthy Chandler family. On September 16, 2010, Mayfield, alongside Brittany Allen, were let go as Scott and Marissa Tasker in order for the writers to take the characters in a new direction, and on September 23, 2010, it was revealed that Cosgrove will be returning as Scott on December 27, 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marissa Tasker</span> Soap opera character

Marissa Tasker is a fictional character on the soap opera, All My Children. She was portrayed by Brittany Allen from April 21, 2009, to December 21, 2010, and by Sarah Glendening from December 27, 2010, to September 23, 2011.

The Chandler Family is a fictional family from the American soap opera All My Children. The Chandler family is one of the most powerful and wealthiest families in the show's history. Rising up from poverty in Pigeon Hollow, West Virginia, the Chandlers now stand as a prominent family in Pine Valley. The family runs Chandler Enterprises.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chandler Massey</span> American actor and singer (born 1990)

Chandler Abit Massey is an American actor and singer, best known for his portrayal of Will Horton on the NBC daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Horton</span> Soap opera character

Will Horton is a fictional character from the American daytime TV soap opera Days of Our Lives, known for a highly praised coming out story, award-winning performances by actor Chandler Massey, and as one half of US daytime drama's first male gay wedding and marriage. The character first appears in the episode of November 16, 1995, when his mom Sami Brady gives birth to him. Initially portrayed by a series of child actors, the character grew up in real-time as the show aired, eventually to be played by adult actors Chandler Massey, and Guy Wilson (2014–2015).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Will Horton and Sonny Kiriakis</span> Soap opera character

Will Horton and Sonny Kiriakis are fictional characters from the American daytime drama Days of Our Lives. They are notable for the first male-male wedding in US daytime drama history, and for being Days of Our Lives first same-sex supercouple. The couple was originally portrayed by Chandler Massey as Will and Freddie Smith as Sonny, who brought acclaimed popularity to the pairing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rebecca Peterson</span> Swedish tennis player

Rebecca Peterson is a Swedish professional tennis player. She has been ranked as high as No. 43 in singles and world No. 87 in doubles by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). Peterson has reached three singles finals on the WTA Tour, winning two of them. She has also reached one WTA Tour doubles final in 2015, in which she also succeeded to win the title. She also owns a doubles title on the WTA Challenger Tour. On the ITF Women's Circuit, she won twelve singles and six doubles titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tessah Andrianjafitrimo</span> French tennis player (born 1998)

Tessah Andrianjafitrimo is a French professional tennis player of Malagasy descent. She was born in Montpellier, France.

<i>Mixed Doubles</i> (2017 film) 2017 Japanese film

Mixed doubles is a 2017 Japanese romantic comedy film. The second co-project of director Junichi Ishikawa and screenwriter Ryota Kosawa after the 2015 film April Fools, it stars Yui Aragaki and Eita. It was released October 21, 2017.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Director Adam Lipsius". Movie Geeks United (radio station). Retrieved 2020-02-19.
  2. 1 2 3 Thomas, Brandee A. (2012-01-19). "Talent with Local Ties Fills Screen in 16-Love". www.gainesvilletimes.com. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
  3. 1 2 "The Making Of 16-LOVE - YouTube". M.youtube.com, an Uptown 6 production, broadcast on the Tennis Channel. 2011-12-05. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
  4. "Lindsay Shaw, Chandler Massey Comedy '16-Love' Set for Jan. 20 Release". Hollywood Reporter. 2011-11-09. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
  5. Jeannette Catsoulis (2012-01-20). "'16-Love,' About a Tennis Prodigy — Review - The New York Times". Nytimes.com. Archived from the original on 2019-04-02. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
  6. Movie review by Renee Schonfeld, Common Sense Media. "16-Love Movie Review". Commonsensemedia.org. Archived from the original on 2017-12-10. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
  7. Harvey, Dennis. "16-Love – Variety". Variety.com. Retrieved 2020-02-19.

16-Love at IMDb