Whitman and Amell charm, but the story goes exactly where you expect.
Verdict tier Mixed, lukewarm or divided, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.
Not streaming in India
Critic consensus
Critical reception for The Duff is mixed-to-moderate, with most reviewers acknowledging it as light, undemanding entertainment. The most consistent praise centres on Mae Whitman's comic performance and her chemistry with Robbie Amell, which several critics credit with elevating an otherwise thin script. The most common criticism across reviews is the film's pronounced predictability, with nearly every critic noting the plot follows a wholly foreseeable trajectory. A minority felt the film was not worth a theatrical outing, though the majority considered it passable easy entertainment.
3 not-rated reviews aren't plotted
Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10
AI-generated summary of 7 critic reviews · may contain errors
Report inaccuracyFrom the papers
Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated
Top critic
Film review ·
The story is predictable right until the very end, but this is one film where the journey is more fun than the result. There are plenty of silly and smart laughs, and the back and forth Whitman has with her friends and foes and especially Robbie Amel is enough to keep to you chuckling in your seat. It's easy laughs and easy entertainment, and an easy recco.
Film review ·
Despite the very predictable way the movie moves along, the message here is simple, well-known and comfortingly reassuring - that if someone loves you, they will do so because of who you really are on the inside.
Film review ·
The title is an acronym for "The Designated Ugly Fat Friend", whose drivel drives the plot. It is a predictable tale of high school romance between the "Duff" and the school's most sought-after hunk. Overall, "The Duff" is a feel-good, vanilla rom-com which is entertaining with some old-school charm that you can relate to.
Film review ·
Wait till this one is out on DVD. Not worth the big screen experience.
Film review ·
...is not a comedy which will make you laugh out loud, but has more than enough funny bits which makes it likeable. The plot, at first, seems entangled but it eventually leads towards a clear goal. You don't need to be Einstein to figure out where it is going, but overall its an amusing and whimsical trip.
Film review ·
Whitman sparkles and shines with her comic delivery. Her camaraderie with the very likeable Amell is enough to brighten a predictable script. The spirited students win The Duff an A, despite its lazy and easy treatment. So what if there is no one really fat or ugly here and we just have one more label?
Film review ·
In spite of a juvenile script, the bonding between Bianca and her friends Jess and Casey, her quirky relationship with her mother and the chemistry between Whitman and Amell, draw you in to make The Duff surprisingly enjoyable.
From our readers
2 ratings · user score 4.5
The DUFF has some interesting things to say, like the use and influence of social media on the supposedly innocent high school kids and the fact that everyone is someone they never want themselves to be. But overall its yet another cliched high-school-romantic-comedy that is cleverly directed in order to hide those things. But they are quite evident, aren't they?
There are films which are not suitable for all age groups and The DUFF is one perfect example. The base is set about a clumsy teen (Whitman) who thinks she is lucky to have two hotties (Santos & Samuels) as her friends in college. When she comes to know, from a good friend (Amell), that she is, in fact, designated an ugly and fat friend (abbrev. DUFF) of the group, she begins introspecting and changing her ways. You will detect how the story is outlined and if you are smart, chances are that you will see where and how the story is going to that cliché reservoir where all such films (read teen comedies) go. The preachy topic of being yourself when it comes to bullies at college, especially at this age of viral videos, is expressive, mostly because it is said with a tinge of humor. Although, one will understand that the plot keeps its distance from the reality, where in the school the teachers are the weirder ones. The soundtrack is complementing and so is the colorful setup. All said and done, the highly predictive climax just makes the whole film look like it dug its own grave with its own teeth. BOTTOM LINE: The DUFF is an effortless affair with doses of good comedy that will crack you up, even if you are not between 12 and 18 years of age, the group to whom it is actually intended. VERDICT: Below Average. Can be watched with a typical Indian family? NO Vulgarity/Profanity: Mediocre
Credits
English films like The Duff
Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween
2018
Blended
2014
Nine Lives
2016
Night School
2018
La La Land
2016
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
2018
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
2015
The Grand Budapest Hotel
2014
The Lego Movie
2014
Inside Out
2015
This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.
