Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		0.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Can't Hardly Wait 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

"I can't feel my legs... I HAVE NO LEGS!"

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown September 18, 2024

Ah, teen comedies. Every decade has given us what the era finds funny about its adolescents, and the '90s was no different, churning out teen movie after teen movie, aiming to capture every last dollar high schoolers had to throw at their local theaters. Can't Hardly Wait desperately, desperately wanted to be a classic; a hit that defined a generation. Unfortunately, it relied too much on tropes and elements lifted from far better films. Even its young cast, though largely recognizable, hasn't thrived as A-listers but rather settled into respectable TV roles after years trying to stay relevant on the big screen. But once you wipe away the sweat and hormones of all that desperation, you're left with a decent comedy with more than its share of laughs. It's dated. Sweet summer child, is it dated. And some of its dialogue is just... what do the kids say today? Cringe. In fact, I fully encourage you to watch Can't Hardly Wait with a junior or senior high son or daughter and watch their face twist in agony at scenes kids of the '90s remember fondly. Most interestingly was my son's reaction to the film's approach to sex and hooking up, which left him shaking his head and wondering aloud if people in the 1990s really thought and talked and acted like Seth Greene and his on-screen cohorts. I was left with no choice but to be honest. His scowl said it all. Still, if you first found Can't Hardly Wait in the throes of puberty, you'll no doubt find a dose of nostalgia waiting for you with this 4K release.

With high school freshly behind them, a rowdy group of excitable graduates stage the ultimate party -- the final party -- one that will be whispered about for years to come. The goal? To go out in style, with enough alcohol, dancing and sexing it up to launch them into adulthood with memories that will last for decades. Among the film's central teens is popular jock Mike (Peter Facinelli), his newly dumped ex-girlfriend (Jennifer Love Hewitt, the biggest star of the bunch), stereotypical '90s nerd William Lichter (Charlie Korsmo), horny Kenny (Seth Green) who's determined to land a girl, introverted Amanda-obsessed Preston (Ethan Embry), and his reluctant friend Denise (Lauren Ambrose). Of course, they'll learn all about life, love and living for the future in a night of twists, turns and long-lasting lessons aplenty.

Click here to read Martin Liebman's review of Can't Hardly Wait, which he calls "quite the popular movie thanks to its entertaining story and collection of interesting and diverse characters, all with their own tale to tell and each with a destiny sure to make this party one they -- and we -- will never forget."

Can't Hardly Wait 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Alllll the way back in 2008, we reviewed the 10 Years Reunion Edition of Can't Hardly Wait. It offered a so-so high definition presentation that earned a 3.0 video score. (A later 2018 Mill Creek Entertainment release merely recycled the outdated transfer.) However, popping the standard Blu-ray edition in more than fifteen years later reveals an encode plagued by digital sharpening and other gaudy artificial enhancements. It would be lucky to snag a 2.5 in 2024; likely scoring closer to a 2.0 if it landed on my desk. By comparison, Sony's new 2160p 4K presentation is revelatory; not mind-blowing, especially without a side-by-side viewing with the prior release, but a massive upgrade nonetheless. Colors have been returned to their more natural state, with more lifelike skintones and convincing primaries. Black levels feel dialed in to a more satisfying, realistic degree too, as the previous encode had a number of contrast adjustments and inconsistencies. There's still a somewhat muddy tone to all the indoor party scenes, but it actually serves the image well (though unintentionally) by allowing foreground elements to pop that much more, creating a slightly more pleasing sense of depth and dimensionality. But it's the presentation's detail and grain field that sees the greatest boost. Gone is the artificial sharpening, replaced by the telltale signs of a master drawn directly from the original negative. Edges are (more often than not) clean and refined, textures are effortlessly resolved, and delineation is quite good. There also isn't any sign of encoding or compression anomalies, another way in which the previous release disappoints. I didn't catch sight of any blocking, banding or other shenanigans. Can't Hardly Wait is as exacting as it presumably could be.

Can't Hardly Wait 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Dolby Atmos? For a '90s teen comedy? Hell yeah. An element that's under-praised when raving about a proper Dolby Atmos experience is music, and Can't Hardly Wait has plenty of it. Traditional soundtrack uses, background music at a party, bursts of live songs in a living room, hits streaming out of stereo systems and car radios... there's music everywhere, and it sounds fantastic, surrounding the listener with the beats of, um, the most... uh, decidedly decent bangers of the late 1990s. (I'm not saying the film has the best music. Just that it sounds great via Sony's Atmos track.) Bass hits heavy thanks to some truly solid LFE output, and the surround channel mixing is spot on, granting each room or environment believable acoustics and spatial realism. Pans are nice and smooth too, and dialogue remains intelligible and well-prioritized, even when the party begins to spill out of control. Fans of Can't Hardly Wait will be more than happy, even if their gear maxes out with the disc's core Dolby TrueHD 7.1 track.

Can't Hardly Wait 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The 4K UltraHD release of Can't Hardly Wait includes all previously available supplemental material. For a detailed overview of the extras, check out our Blu-ray review by clicking here. Contents include:

• Two Audio Commentaries with the Filmmakers and Cast

• 10 Years Later Alternate & Deleted Scenes

• Huntington Hills High Class of '98 Reunion

• Can't Hardly Wait: The Making of a Teen Classic

• Six Archival Deleted Scenes

• The Life of the Party Featurette

• "Can't Get Enough of You Baby" Smash Mouth Music Video

• Theatrical Trailer

Can't Hardly Wait 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Can't Hardly Wait may not hold up to more than twenty-five years of scrutiny -- God, are we really that old? -- but for those who caught it during the adolescence, there's plenty of nostalgic laughs and memories to relive. It's not the go-to teen comedy some might argue, but these things are always more precious to fans of the era than anyone else. At least Sony's 4K edition delivers thanks to an excellent video presentation (that offers an impressive upgrade), a strong Dolby Atmos track, and all the extras included on previous Blu-ray releases.