..."Prom Night in Kansas City" is more than worth a watch to anyone with an interest in turn-of-the-millennium teen zeitgeist. I say this despite the primary director's obvious biases in favor of proms, and her exceedingly selective approach toward her subjects, i.e. the teens involved. I suspect a wider selection of high schools/geographic locations would have helped maintain a more objective perspective as well. I would have liked to have heard more from the kids who weren't part of the prom scene; all we get is one kid who voices his disinterest, but goes anyway to film things. I'd have also liked more input from the various adults involved. Most of them were just acting as cheerleaders/chaperones. Reminisces from adults might have been illuminating as well. Look for this one free, or dirt cheap, but as I say, worth a watch.

The documentary "Prom Night in Kansas City" has by far, the most realistic depiction of what high school is really like. The angle this film uses is the Senior prom, and director Hali Lee does show us four very different proms (a white prom, a black prom, a religious school prom and a gay prom). But once Lee introduces us to the kids who populate these end of the year extravaganzas, the film turns into something more. It begins to show us what makes teenagers tick; why they spend so much of their own and their parent's money on clothes; why appearances are so important to them; their opinions about their peers; what it's like to not fit in the crowd; the pressures put upon students by themselves. And because it's a documentary, it captures the real personalities of the teenagers interviewed, flaws and all. "Prom Night in Kansas City" is filled with hilarious unexpected moments and lots of insight from Lee who remembers her own days as a high school prom girl. I'm curious to find out what happens to Smurf in 20 years, watch the film and see who I'm talking about. What a haracter! -- Reviewed by Scott Gingold -- 2003 -- Director of "Ostrich Egg"