A couple of years ago, I noticed that Corey Haim had made this direct-to-video movie called just one of the girls. Back in the 1980's, he was one of the top child stars in Hollywood, but he sort of slipped under the radar in the 1990s. Most of what he was doing by then ended up going direct to video, including this 1993 production. Unless you were a big video movie fan, you might have missed some of his movies. Generally, when we went to the video store, we were renting videos of movies that had already had their runs in the theaters.
Admittedly, this movie isn't something that critics would rave about, but it's actually enjoyable. It stars Corey as Chris Calder and Nicole Eggert as Marie Stark. Chris is a top student who's on track to go to college and become a doctor, which is what his father would like him do. However, his passion is music, and he's hoping to get a record deal and be involved in the music industry. Marie is a cheerleader and ultimately the object of Chris's affection.
Chris has another problem. There's a bully who is terrorizing him. His name is Kurt and he's played by Cameron Bancroft. Chris's father advises him to stand up to the bully, but this is not something he really wants to do. One day while helping his sister pick out an outfit, the bully notices that Chris is at the women's clothing shop. Chris thinks fast and disguises himself as a girl to avoid the fight. Later, he realizes that his solution to avoiding a confrontation with the bully is to dress up as a girl at school.
Chris thinks he's got the plan all figured out. He'll get through the doors dressed as a girl and then go into the bathroom and change back into his male clothing. However, his music teacher and his PE teacher both see him as Chrissy, his female persona. He's now stuck having to play Chrissy full time at school, and he digs in deeper when he has an opportunity to save Marie from her boyfriend, who is pressuring her to go all the way.
Of course, the plan has its obstacles. Kurt is now attracted to Chrissy, unaware that this is really Chris in disguise. To complicate things even further, Kurt is Marie's brother. The music class seems to be going well, and Chris is becoming closer to Marie as a friend. You don't expect it to go that easy for him, do you? This means the plan will start to fall apart, but will it work out for the best in the end?
Obviously, there are the cliche moments. For instance, does dressing up as Chrissy make him gay? His parents inevitably find out, and his PE instructor is on to him as well. He convinces her to back off by claiming to be transgender. She agrees not to tell on him, but he has to agree to counseling with her after school. She wants him to come out as Chrissy to his parents. We watch as this whole thing begins to spiral out of control. There's also the fact that Maria convinces Chrissy to join her on the cheerleading squad. There are several amusing moments, but I don't want to give away all the secrets.
We're not watching Shakespeare here, and a bit of suspension of disbelief will help the viewing process. Corey actually makes a presentable high school girl in this movie, though his voice would likely give him away. He makes the stereotypical attempt at a female voice to bluff his way through school. Haim has always had a charm about him. While the story may not be perfect, it's one that you can relax in front of the TV and enjoy.
Corey and Nicole were actually dating around this time, and they do a good job of carrying the plot along. The movie had a good cast as well. I will go one better and say that this was a movie that could have played in the theaters and could have been a minor hit, especially if this happened in the late 1980s instead of the early 1990s. It's definitely a movie with a 1980s feel to it. It's a movie that does what you'd expect it to do, isn't meant to make you think and is enjoyable. I'd say it's an above-average movie.
It's a shame watching Corey and knowing that he was an actor with such potential who never really got the opportunity to shine on the big screen as an adult. He had charisma and a certain quality that, given the right story, would have made a studio backed movie a hit. Unfortunately, his personal struggles meant that he wasn't given those types of opportunities and had to make the best out of what he was given.
If I were putting together a list of my favorite Corey Haim movies, Just One Of The Girls would make it into the Top 10. I recommend it as something you can watch with your friends. There is a bit of nudity that might not be suitable for younger viewers. It's not the best movie you'll ever see, but it's not the worst either. A fan of his would enjoy this movie, but I don't think you have to be a fan to like it.
