Clueless

In 1995, Amy Heckerling took Jane Austen's Emma, dropped it into Beverly Hills, and gave it a wardrobe that would define a decade. The result was Clueless, a comedy that follows Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone), a high school queen bee who believes the world is a place she can arrange to her liking. With her best friend Dionne (Stacey Dash), Cher rules the social scene at Bronson Alcott High, dispensing fashion advice and matchmaking with equal confidence. The film cost $12 million to make and earned over $56 million worldwide, becoming a sleeper hit that turned Silverstone into a star.

Heckerling's script is packed with quotable lines, "As if!" entered the lexicon overnight, and the film's fashion, designed by Mona May, sparked a revival of plaid skirts, knee-high socks, and platform shoes. Paul Rudd plays Josh, Cher's ex-stepbrother and reluctant conscience, while Brittany Murphy, in her breakout role, plays Tai, the transfer student Cher takes under her wing. The film balances sharp satire with genuine warmth, a combination that has kept it fresh for decades.[edit]

Cher Horowitz lives in a Beverly Hills mansion with her father Mel, a litigation lawyer. Her mother died during a liposuction procedure, a fact Cher mentions with unsettling casualness. Cher's life revolves around fashion, popularity, and her best friend Dionne, who shares her obsession with social status. Together they navigate the treacherous waters of Bronson Alcott High, a school where cliques are as rigid as the dress code.

Cher's first major project is playing matchmaker for two teachers: Mr. Hall, a nerdy social studies teacher, and Miss Geist, a mousy debate coach. The scheme works, and Cher feels invincible. She then sets her sights on Tai Frasier, a new student from a working-class background who dresses in grunge and has zero social skills. Cher and Dionne give Tai a complete makeover, transforming her into a popular girl. But Tai develops a crush on Elton, the handsome but shallow guy Cher herself likes, while ignoring Travis, the skater boy who actually cares about her.

Cher's personal life is complicated by Josh, her ex-stepbrother who visits frequently. He's in college, works for a public defender, and constantly criticizes Cher's superficiality. Their bickering masks a growing tension. Meanwhile, Cher pursues Elton, only to discover he's not interested in friendship, he wants a romantic relationship with her. When Cher rejects him, Elton retaliates by humiliating her in front of the school. Cher's social standing takes a hit, and she begins to question her approach to life.

She also befriends Christian, a stylish new student who shares her love of fashion and shopping. Cher assumes they're a perfect match, but Christian is gay, a fact she fails to recognize until it's painfully obvious. The friendship remains, but Cher's matchmaking instincts prove flawed. Tai, now transformed, becomes more popular than Cher herself, and the two friends drift apart. Cher's attempts to control everyone's lives start to backfire, leaving her isolated and confused.[edit]