From Justin to Kelly
Encyclopedia
From Justin to Kelly is a 2003 American romantic comedy
musical film
starring Kelly Clarkson
and Justin Guarini
, the winner and runner-up, respectively, of the first season
of American Idol
. It is considered to be one of the worst films ever made, winning the Golden Raspberry Award for "Worst 'Musical' of Our First 25 Years" in 2005.
in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
; Texan
singing waitress Kelly Taylor (Kelly Clarkson) meets Pennsylvania
n college student Justin Bell (Justin Guarini), and they fall for each other, and various romantic complications ensue. Kelly's friend Kaya (Anika Noni Rose
) falls in love with charming busboy Carlos (Jason Yribar); Kelly's other friend, Alexa (Katherine Bailess), schemes to keep Justin and Kelly from meeting; Justin's friend Brandon (Greg Siff
) is always getting on the wrong side of a sexy beach patrolwoman (Theresa San-Nicholas); and Justin's other friend, Eddie (Brian Dietzen
), tries to hook up with a cyberpal.
, grossing only $5 million, and received a 8% rating out of 59 reviews at Rotten Tomatoes. Entertainment Weekly
film critic Owen Gleiberman
wrote in his review, "How bad is From Justin to Kelly? Set in Miami during spring break, it's like Grease: The Next Generation acted out by the food-court staff at SeaWorld."
Some theater chains threatened not to screen the movie at all when distributor 20th Century Fox
announced plans to rush it to VHS
and DVD
a mere six weeks after its opening weekend, but Fox ultimately relented and pushed the release date back a number of months. After the opening-weekend flop, Fox reinstated the original release schedule.
The choreography
was considered so bad that a special Golden Raspberry "Governor's Award" was created as an excuse to present the film with a Razzie. However, the movie was better received by the Teen Choice Awards
, as it was nominated for two Choice Movie Breakout Stars (for Guarini and Clarkson) and Choice Chemistry.
, an extended version of 90 minutes was released as well. This extended version includes two new musical numbers "From Me to You" and "Brighter Star", additional lyrics and more sensual choreography to "Wish Upon a Star", and a scene involving a "Dare to Be Bare" contest.
. The tracks of the unreleased studio soundtrack can be found on various Clarkson fansites. Two songs, "From Me to You" and "Brighter Star", did not appear in the theatrical release, but were added to the extended version DVD release. Clarkson also performed "The Bounce (The Luv)", and "Timeless" during her shared (with Clay Aiken
) "Independent Tour" in 2003 with her male backup singer performing the male vocals on "Timeless".
Songs used in the film and soundtrack (in order of appearance):
Romantic Comedy
Romantic Comedy can refer to* Romantic Comedy , a 1979 play written by Bernard Slade* Romantic Comedy , a 1983 film adapted from the play and starring Dudley Moore and Mary Steenburgen...
musical film
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
starring Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,...
and Justin Guarini
Justin Guarini
Justin Guarini is an American singer/songwriter and actor who rose to fame in 2002 as the first runner-up on the debut season of the television show American Idol.-Background:...
, the winner and runner-up, respectively, of the first season
American Idol (Season 1)
The first season of American Idol premiered on June 11, 2002 and continued until September 4, 2002. It was won by Kelly Clarkson...
of American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
. It is considered to be one of the worst films ever made, winning the Golden Raspberry Award for "Worst 'Musical' of Our First 25 Years" in 2005.
Plot
The film is set during spring breakSpring break
Spring break – also known as March break, Study week or Reading week in the United Kingdom and some parts of Canada – is a recess in early spring at universities and schools in the United States, Canada, mainland China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the United...
in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
; Texan
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
singing waitress Kelly Taylor (Kelly Clarkson) meets Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
n college student Justin Bell (Justin Guarini), and they fall for each other, and various romantic complications ensue. Kelly's friend Kaya (Anika Noni Rose
Anika Noni Rose
Anika Noni Rose is an American singer and actress known for her Tony Award winning performance in the Broadway production of Caroline, or Change and her starring roles in the films Dreamgirls and The Princess and the Frog....
) falls in love with charming busboy Carlos (Jason Yribar); Kelly's other friend, Alexa (Katherine Bailess), schemes to keep Justin and Kelly from meeting; Justin's friend Brandon (Greg Siff
Greg Siff
Greg Siff is an American actor, artist and playwright who rose to fame as a lead in the 2003 American Idol feature film, From Justin to Kelly.- Biography :...
) is always getting on the wrong side of a sexy beach patrolwoman (Theresa San-Nicholas); and Justin's other friend, Eddie (Brian Dietzen
Brian Dietzen
Brian Dietzen is an American actor who has played the supporting role of Jimmy Palmer on NCIS since 2004.-Early life:Dietzen was born in Colorado...
), tries to hook up with a cyberpal.
Cast
- Kelly ClarksonKelly ClarksonKelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,...
as Kelly Taylor - Justin GuariniJustin GuariniJustin Guarini is an American singer/songwriter and actor who rose to fame in 2002 as the first runner-up on the debut season of the television show American Idol.-Background:...
as Justin Bell - Katherine Bailess as Alexa
- Anika Noni RoseAnika Noni RoseAnika Noni Rose is an American singer and actress known for her Tony Award winning performance in the Broadway production of Caroline, or Change and her starring roles in the films Dreamgirls and The Princess and the Frog....
as Kaya - Brian DietzenBrian DietzenBrian Dietzen is an American actor who has played the supporting role of Jimmy Palmer on NCIS since 2004.-Early life:Dietzen was born in Colorado...
as Eddie - Greg SiffGreg SiffGreg Siff is an American actor, artist and playwright who rose to fame as a lead in the 2003 American Idol feature film, From Justin to Kelly.- Biography :...
as Brandon - Jason Yribar as Carlos
- Christopher Bryan as Luke
- Theresa San-Nicholas as Officer Cutler
- Justin Gorence as Greg
- Kaitlin RileyKaitlin RileyKaitlin Riley is an American actress. Riley is best known for her role in From Justin to Kelly. Riley is one of seven children. Riley's younger sister, Bailee Madison, is also an actress. She has two sisters and four brothers....
as Ashley - Marc MacaulayMarc MacaulayMarc Macaulay is an American actor.He was born and raised in Millinocket, Maine. He graduated with a BFA in theater. He recently appeared in the new USA Network Series Burn Notice for five episodes as Agent Harris, and as "Blaine Bauer" in the horror film Thirteen Floors.Some of his most prominent...
as Mr. O'Mara - Jessica SuttaJessica SuttaJessica Lynn Sutta is an American dancer, showgirl, singer, recording artist, model, and actress. She is best known as a member of the American pop girl group and dance ensemble, the Pussycat Dolls. She left the group in January 2010 to embark her solo career. She is currently finishing up her...
as Bracelet Girl
Reception
From Justin to Kelly was a box office bombBox office bomb
The phrase box office bomb refers to a film for which the production and marketing costs greatly exceeded the revenue regained by the movie studio. This should not be confused with Hollywood accounting when official figures show large losses, yet the movie is a financial success.A film's financial...
, grossing only $5 million, and received a 8% rating out of 59 reviews at Rotten Tomatoes. Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
film critic Owen Gleiberman
Owen Gleiberman
Owen Gleiberman is an American film critic for Entertainment Weekly, a position he has held since the magazine's launch in 1990. From 1981–89, he worked at the Boston Phoenix....
wrote in his review, "How bad is From Justin to Kelly? Set in Miami during spring break, it's like Grease: The Next Generation acted out by the food-court staff at SeaWorld."
Some theater chains threatened not to screen the movie at all when distributor 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
announced plans to rush it to VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
and DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
a mere six weeks after its opening weekend, but Fox ultimately relented and pushed the release date back a number of months. After the opening-weekend flop, Fox reinstated the original release schedule.
The choreography
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
was considered so bad that a special Golden Raspberry "Governor's Award" was created as an excuse to present the film with a Razzie. However, the movie was better received by the Teen Choice Awards
Teen Choice Awards
The Teen Choice Awards, are an annual awards show that air on the Fox cable channel, that honor the year's biggest biggest achievements in music, movies, sports, television, fashion and more, voted by teen viewers aged 14 through 17. Winners receive an authentic full size surfboard designed with...
, as it was nominated for two Choice Movie Breakout Stars (for Guarini and Clarkson) and Choice Chemistry.
Awards
| Year | Result | Award | Category |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Nomination | Teen Choice Awards | Choice Movie Breakout Star (Female), Kelly Clarkson |
| Choice Movie Breakout Star (Male), Justin Guarini | |||
| Choice Movie Chemistry, Kelly Clarkson & Justin Guarini | |||
| 2004 | Won | Governor's Award | Distinguished Under-Achievement in Choreography |
| Nomination | Razzie Awards | Worst Actor, Justin Guarini | |
| Worst Actress, Kelly Clarkson | |||
| Worst Picture | |||
| Worst Director, Robert Iscove | |||
| Worst Screenplay, Kim Fuller | |||
| Worst Remake or Sequel (remake of both Where the Boys Are Where the Boys Are The kind of cool modern jazz popularized by such acts as Dave Brubeck, Gerry Mulligan, and Chico Hamilton, then in the vanguard of the college music market, features in a number of scenes with Basil... and Where the Boys Are '84 Where the Boys Are '84 Where the Boys Are '84 is a 1984 remake of the 1960 teen sex comedy film Where the Boys Are, starring Lisa Hartman, Lorna Luft, Wendy Schaal and Lynn-Holly Johnson... ) |
|||
| Worst Screen Couple (Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini) | |||
| 2005 | Won | Worst Musical of Our First 25 Years |
Home media
When From Justin to Kelly was released on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, an extended version of 90 minutes was released as well. This extended version includes two new musical numbers "From Me to You" and "Brighter Star", additional lyrics and more sensual choreography to "Wish Upon a Star", and a scene involving a "Dare to Be Bare" contest.
Soundtrack
A commercial soundtrack was created with studio tracks but never released, due to the poor reception and income of the film. However, a version of the song "Timeless", sung by Clarkson and Guarini, and recorded prior to the film, was included on Guarini's self-titled debut albumJustin Guarini (album)
Justin Guarini is the self-titled debut album from American Idol runner-up Justin Guarini. It was released by RCA Records on June 10, 2003.- Background :...
. The tracks of the unreleased studio soundtrack can be found on various Clarkson fansites. Two songs, "From Me to You" and "Brighter Star", did not appear in the theatrical release, but were added to the extended version DVD release. Clarkson also performed "The Bounce (The Luv)", and "Timeless" during her shared (with Clay Aiken
Clay Aiken
Clayton Holmes "Clay" Aiken is an American singer, songwriter, actor, producer and author who began his rise to fame on the second season of the television program American Idol in 2003. RCA Records offered him a recording contract, and his multi-platinum debut album Measure of a Man was released...
) "Independent Tour" in 2003 with her male backup singer performing the male vocals on "Timeless".
Songs used in the film and soundtrack (in order of appearance):
- "I Won't Stand in Line" (Original artist: Reba McEntireReba McEntireReba Nell McEntire is an American country music artist and actress. She began her career in the music industry as a high school student singing in the Kiowa High School band , on local radio shows with her siblings, and at rodeos. As a solo act, she was invited to perform at a rodeo in Oklahoma...
) - "Vacation" (Original artist: The Go-Go'sThe Go-Go'sThe Go-Go’s are an all-female American rock band formed in 1978. They made history as the first all-female band that both wrote their own songs and played their own instruments to top the Billboard album charts....
) - "The Bounce (The Luv)"
- "Brandon's Rap"
- "Forever Part of Me"
- "It's Meant to Be"
- "Timeless" (Also released on Justin Guarini's debut CD Justin GuariniJustin Guarini (album)Justin Guarini is the self-titled debut album from American Idol runner-up Justin Guarini. It was released by RCA Records on June 10, 2003.- Background :...
) - "Brighter Star" (Extended Version DVD)
- "Wish Upon a Star"
- "Anytime" (Alternate version on Kelly Clarkson's debut CD ThankfulThankful (Kelly Clarkson album)-Sales and chart performance:Release of the album was preceded by the single "Miss Independent", which become a top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hit and a #1 top 40 smash. In thanks to the success of the single, as well as buzz from her American Idol win , the album sold well in the United States...
) - "Madness"
- "Timeless (Reprise)"
- "From Me to You" (Extended Version DVD)
- "Anytime (Reprise)"
- "That's the Way (I Like It)That's the Way (I Like It)"That's the Way " is a song written by H.W. Casey and Richard Finch, and recorded and released in 1975 by KC and the Sunshine Band for their eponymous second album...
" (Lyrically changed cover of original song by KC and the Sunshine BandKC and the Sunshine BandKC and the Sunshine Band is an American musical group. Founded in 1973 in Miami, Florida, their style has included funk, R&B, and disco. Their most well known songs include the disco hits "That's the Way ", " Shake Your Booty", "I'm Your Boogie Man", "Keep It Comin' Love", "Get Down Tonight", "Give...
) - "Sugar"