The DUFF

"You need to realize you're only as awesome as you think you are."

Bianca Piper (Whitman) is a high school senior and editor of the school paper.  She is inseparable from her best friends, Jess Harris (Samuels) and Casey Cordero (Santos), who are beautiful and popular.  She finds out she is the DUFF, the Designated Ugly Fat Friend, of her group.  Everyone else in school sees her as the gateway to her prettier friends.  Bianca is offended and ditches her friends, vowing to find a way to change her status.

She recruits Wesley Rush (Amell), the captain of the football team who is also her neighbor, to help her.  They make a bargain: Wesley will help her ditch the DUFF and she will help him pass science so he can keep his college scholarship.  Bianca wants to get the nerve to talk to / date musician Toby Tucker (Eversman).  But first she has to deal with Wesley's mean girl ex Madison Morgan (Thorne).  Can Bianca rise above the label and get the guy?


This film is based on the 2011 young adult novel "The Duff" by Kody Keplinger.  The book was a hit and CBS Films acquired the rights to the film adaptation.  This is Ari Sandel's feature film directorial debut (he directed 2 short films and documentary Wild West Comedy Show: 30 Days & 30 Nights - Hollywood to the Heartland).

The casting is perfect.  Mae Whitman is an inspired choice to be Bianca (apparently she was Keplinger's first choice).  Whitman consistently delivers great performances, and has proven the ability to nail comedy (Arrested Development) and drama (Parenthood) on TV.  She has a strong and likeable screen presence that works well here.  She has great chemistry with Robbie Amell.  Amell also has a strong TV resume.  He is believable and likeable as Wesley.  Bella Thorne is icy as Madison and really sells the part.  Allison Janney is always a great addition, and this is no exception.  Ken Jeong, Chris Wylde, and Romany Malco get some good lines as the teachers, and their outtakes (during the end credits) are the best.

This is a solid addition to the high school classics... funny, but still real enough.  An enjoyable film!

The DUFF (2015) 101 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for crude and sexual material throughout, some language and teen partying
Director: Ari Sandel
Starring: Mae Whitman as Bianca Piper
Robbie Amell as Wesley Rush
Bella Thorne as Madison Morgan
Bianca Santos as Casey Cordero
Skyler Samuels as Jess Harris
Romany Malco as Principal Buchanan
Ken Jeong as Mr. Arthur
Allison Janney as Dottie Piper
Chris Wylde as Mr. Fillmore
Nick Eversman as Toby Tucker