The Perfect Score (2004)

The Perfect Score is a breezy, high-energy teen heist that treats SAT panic like a caper movie, turning lockers-and-hallways angst into something playful and surprisingly watchable. Director Brian Robbins keeps the pace light and moving, letting the ensemble chemistry do the heavy lifting—Chris Evans brings scrappy charm, Scarlett Johansson adds cool edge, and the whole plan has that popcorn-movie momentum where each new recruit makes the scheme funnier and messier. The vibe is more mischievous than mean-spirited, with enough comic timing and late-night break-in tension to make it an easy crowd-pleaser. It’s not for everyone if you’re allergic to early-2000s teen comedy crudity and some drinking/drug jokes, but if you want an accessible, pleasant crime-comedy with a youthful kick, this one earns its runtime.

The Perfect Score wants to be a teen heist comedy with a little social commentary about how absurd the SAT pressure cooker can be, and on paper that’s a solid setup. In practice, it’s a pretty flimsy, derivative caper where the “crime” never feels tense and the jokes land more politely than sharply, leaving you with characters that play like familiar high-school archetypes instead of people you’ll really care about. If you’re expecting something as funny or insightful as the better teen classics, this will likely feel bland and weirdly toothless. Still, it’s an easy, inoffensive watch with early charm from the cast (especially Evans and Johansson), so it works best as low-stakes background entertainment rather than a must-see comedy.