The DUFF

[projekktor id=’17673′]

The DUFF is a high-school comedy directed by Academy Award winning (short film) director Ari Sandel (West Bank Story). The film, which is based on a novel by Kody Keplinger, stars Mae Whitman, Robbie Amell, Bella Thorne, Bianca A. Santos, Allison Janney, and Ken Jeong.

Bianca (Mae Whitman) is a content high school senior whose world is shattered when she learns the student body refers to her as ‘The DUFF’ (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) to her prettier, more popular friends (Skyler Samuels & Bianca Santos). With her universe turned upside down, she ignores words of wisdom from her favorite teacher (Ken Jeong) and enlists Wesley (Robbie Amell), a slick but charming jock, to help set her apart from the pack and erase her label forever. In doing so, she hopes to land her crush Toby (Nick Eversman), and find the confidence to overthrow the school’s ruthless label maker Madison (Bella Thorne) by reminding everyone that no matter what people look or act like, we are all someone’s DUFF…and that’s totally fine.

Sandel was excited to do a teen comedy. “I think any comedy director is excited at the opportunity of doing a high school film because we all grew up with iconic high school films, whether it’s John Hughes’ films or Mean Girls or Superbad. Those movies really stick with you through your teenage years.”Though it could be a great film, odds are he won’t be winning another Oscar for this one.

The DUFF is rated 14A. Read our review here.