When my dad told me that he had found this film to be very disappointing and not much fun,I kept pushing the film back to the bottom of the pile,of things that I needed to watch,and,now that I have at last seen the film,I keep thinking why did I keep pushing it back for so long!.Due to the film having a fun light-John Huges feel,with some good performance,and some great dialogue.The plot:A group of four high-school friends (Sammy,Handsome,Victor and Applebee)do everything they can to "asits" the other students in the school,by giving them all of the answers to the exam questions!Although the groups cheating is risked at being discovered,when they are caught by the schools janitor trying to steal a doctors file about one of the other students.Due to this,Sammy feels that it is time the he stops cheating,and that he will do the final school exam without cheating at all.With tensions building in the group, (mainly between the "jock" member of the group (Victor) and the intellect (Applebee)Handsome has to do his best to make sure that the group can hopefully hold together long enough to get the answers to the final exam.View on the film:With the cast,I think that whilst Elden Hensons role as Sammy is under written in the second half of the film,due to him turning into the "moral" high ground of the film,I feel that he and the rest of the cast work well together,in the huge amount of scenes that the whole cast feature in,and they all have very good chemistry with each other.One of the odd thing that I think the studio did,was to push the film with a very badly done American Pie style poster.When actually, writer/directer Andrew Gurland film has more in common with John Huges amazing 80s period.Whilst there are a few odd plot holes in the script (why do none of the students use mobile phones or computers to get the cheats?)Gurland thankfully fills the film with lots of really fun dialogue, (when Handsome is asked why is Applebee in the group,he says it is because "He writes crazy small crib notes!")by having what could be seen as card-board cut-out characters,being given enough charm and snappy lines that,it is very hard not to warm to the gangFinal view on the film:A great 80s inspired teen comedy,with a pretty funny script.

Andrew Gurland's "Cheats" is his fictionalized "true story" about four high school friends who maneuver to cheat on tests. The quartet are: supercilious school-hating Trevor Fehrman (as Handsome Davis), his likewise good-looking pal Matthew Lawrence (as Victor), their chubby school-hating chum Elden Henson (as Sammy), and crooked geekster Martin Starr (as Applebee). The adults include high-strung North Point principal Mary Tyler Moore (as Mrs. Stark) and pornography-loving father Griffin Dunne (as Mr. Davis). The high jinks begin with Mr. Fehrman and Mr. Lawrence supposedly urinating on a teacher's grade book. Put this one at the bottom of the pile; and, be thankful it doesn't go on anyone's permanent record.*** Cheats (2002) Andrew Gurland ~ Trevor Fehrman, Matthew Lawrence, Elden Henson

While watching this movie i realized that it was the best 85 minutes of my life! Not only does it portray the exact idea that every teenager has in his/her mind, but they actually DO go through w/ the plans! Each character is so different that i almost wish they were my friends! This movie can be called nothing other than a flipping masterpiece! I believe that if you haven't seen this movie, then you are surely being deprived of something beautiful. I loved how they totally played Mr. Harkin (the flaming, mean teacher) and how they dissed Mrs. Herman. Not to mention how they screwed over horny and greedy! Oh man! just writing my view on this movie makes me want to go watch it again! and i believe i will! please, if you haven't had the joy of watching this movie before, i advise that you rent it, sit down with your closest friends, make some popcorn and gaze at the television! then try to contact Andrew Gurland, thanking him for giving you the chance to witness the most miraculous thing you've ever seen!all in all - This movie is absolutely the best in the world. I beg everyone to see see and i learn from it; whether it be new techniques or not to ever cheat! In my mind it is a perfect depiction of the teenager mind in school. I think that in everyone's school there is a Victor, Handsome, Applebee, and Sammy, and quite possibly even a Shapiro! This movie is hands down perfection!

This is supposed to be a comedy. It is not. To me it is a total waste of time with regrettably negative images of students, teachers and the American school system. I sat through it on TV thinking it would improve, which it didn't. Skip this one. Teenagers of course will love it, but adults with a smidgeon of intelligence probably won't. As a former analyst at MGM studios in the 60's, I am wondering how this ever interested a producer enough to want to put it on the screen. But then, as I sadly have to admit, there are very few contemporary films that meet the standards of quality that I remember from films made before 1970.