Prom Pact is an American romantic comedy Disney Channel Original Movie. It premiered on March 30, 2023 on Disney Channel and March 31, 2023 on Disney+.[1]
Synopsis[]
In the teen romantic comedy, it's the height of prom season, and high school senior Mandy Yang (Lee) and her best friend and fellow outsider Ben (Manheim) are surrounded by over-the-top '80s-themed Promposals. However, Mandy keeps her eyes focused on a different goal: her lifelong dream of attending Harvard. When she finds out that she has been put on the waitlist, she is determined to do whatever she can do to get herself accepted, even if that means asking for help from the one person she abhors – popular all-star jock Graham Lansing (Draper), whose father is a powerful senator and Harvard alum. Once Mandy becomes Graham's tutor, she begins to realize there's more to him than she thought and perhaps something more to life than Harvard.
Plot[]
Mandy Yang is a high school senior who is obsessed with going to Harvard to achieve her dream, something which the school counselor, Ms. Chen, hears ad nauseum. Her best friend is Ben Plunkett whom everyone at school knows as "No Nuts" Plunkett due to a childhood peanut allergy incident. When it is announced that the upcoming prom will be an 80s themed bash, Ben is visibly interested in going while Mandy, not wanting to conform to typical high school rituals, is disdainful towards it, especially since it will be attended to by "Everests", a term for people who have reached their peak. Mandy ultimately gives in and makes a prom pact with Ben to attend.
When Mandy's acceptance to Harvard is put on waitlist, she goes to Ms. Chen for advice. She is reminded of her popular classmate Graham Lansing, who is the son of Senator Lansing, a Harvard alum. Mandy tells Ben her plan to get close to Graham so that she can get into Harvard and, with the help of their friends, Charles and Zenobia, finds out that Graham is doing poorly in psych and offers to tutor him. Though Graham suspects that she wants something out of it, he gives in and accepts her as a tutor. Meanwhile, Ben learns that LaToya Reynolds, a popular girl he has a crush on, actually knows him better than the rest of his classmates, much to his pleasure.
Mandy manages to break through with Graham, getting him to pass his psych class, while Graham in turn teaches her about basketball. The two of them grow close with Mandy learning that Graham is pressured by his father to make grand achievements and performs non-profits acts on the side. Mandy is eventually invited to Graham's house and even though his father is not there, Graham's mother happily promises her that she can get her to talk to her husband about Harvard at a dinner party next week. Mandy starts to put off her usual hangout time with Ben, who is initially upset, but a fortuitous night has him meeting up with LaToya who shares many of his interests.
Both Mandy and Ben continue their respective plans until Ben reminds Mandy that his birthday is coming up on Saturday, the same day as the dinner. Mandy convinces Ben to invite LaToya, who happily accepts and together have a wonderful night. At the dinner party, Mandy realizes that she has fallen in love with Graham and the two kiss. She runs into Senator Lansing and upon seeing firsthand his low opinion of his son, turns down his Harvard offer. However, she overhears Graham's friends talking about inviting another girl while seeing Mandy on the side and she leaves the party crying. She calls Ben for help, who leaves a visibly angered LaToya as he goes to pick up Mandy. The two promise to go to prom together.
The next day at school, Mandy refuses to talk to Graham, while Ben tries to talk to a still angry LaToya. LaToya finally forgives Ben on the condition they go to prom together. Back inside, Graham makes a grand prom proposal to Mandy (she realizes the other girl he was seeing was teaching him to dance for the proposal) and she happily accepts. Upon meeting with Ben outside, she learns that Ben turned down LaToya and he snaps at her for not considering his feelings. Students film their argument where Ben announces that Mandy was just using Graham to get a letter of recommendation to Harvard. The video is seen by Graham who gives Mandy a letter and then breaks up with her.
Mandy becomes a pariah at school and while speaking with Ms. Chen reveals that she did not turn in the letter. Realizing that she no longer cares about Harvard, she gives the letter back to Graham and then asks Ben to prom. Breaking down from her comical display, he accepts. The two get dressed and Mandy makes it up to Ben by taking him around town to fulfill their usual hangout rituals.
The two finally arrive prom, where it is humorously revealed that besides them, no actually dressed like the 80s, and have a good time. Mandy avoids Graham as the prom queen and king are announced as LaToya and Ben, the latter of whom was fixed by Ms. Chen. Not wanting to pass on the opportunity, Ben declares his love to LaToya and embraces being prom king. Ben and LaToya convince Mandy to check her Harvard status again and is surprised to see that she has been accepted. Ms. Chen reveals that she sent a letter of recommendation herself and was surprised that it actually worked.
Graduation Day arrives and Mandy makes a Salutatorian speech (she got a 94 in P.E.) that is inspired by her time with Graham, showing that she truly appreciated her time with him. Afterwards, Mandy and Ben promise to hang out when they get the chance to as Ben is happy to finally have LaToya as a girlfriend. Mandy has one final talk with Graham who reveals that he is attending UT, based on his dad's expectations. The two of them amicably part ways. Later, Mandy is at Harvard when she suddenly runs into Graham, who turned down UT and decided to take a year off to do inner city non profit work. The two of them kiss and renew their relationship.
Cast[]
- Peyton Elizabeth Lee as Mandy Yang
- Milo Manheim as Ben Plunkett
- Blake Draper as Graham Lansing
- Monique Green as LaToya Reynolds
- Arica Himmel as Zenobia
- Jason Sakaki as Charles
- Chelah Horsdal as Mrs. Lansing
- David S. Jung as Tom Yang
- Wendi McLendon-Covey as Alyssa Yang
- Margaret Cho as Ms. Chen
- Christopher Shyer as Senator Lansing
- Matt Mazur as Nate Lansing
- Brian Cyburt as Teddy Lansing
- Dane Schioler as Logan Lansing
- Jude Wilson as Owen
- Nolen Dubuc as Kyle
- Kevin Osea as Carter
- Kelcey Mawema as Claire
- Darius Willis as Nick
- Raine Mateo as Jodi
- Stefan Crnogorac as Chris
- Lester Thomas as Dev
- Savannah Miller as Stephanie
- Elijah Westgate as Khalid
- Sean Amsing as Principal Mossler
Production[]
On February 6, 2022, Deadline reported that Disney Branded Television was developing a new romantic comedy film. Anya Adams will helm the film, with Anthony Lombardo writing the screenplay, and Melvin Mar and Julie Bowen producing. Bowen has talked about the project while it was in development. "The main character is a feminist, and she doesn't believe in this idea of falling in love," Bowen said in an interview. "It goes back to Shakespeare: she's a little bit strident, very type A, and she doesn't want to believe especially in heteronormative love, because she's so liberal. But then she falls and there's that undeniable chemistry." Peyton Elizabeth Lee was cast in the lead role, along with Milo Manheim.[2]
Filming had begun by March 2022.[3]
On January 13, 2023, it was announced that the film would premiere on March 30, 2023 on Disney Channel and March 31, 2023 on Disney+.[1]
This film had come under scrutiny for using artificial intelligence to create extras in scenes.[4]
Trivia[]
- This is the first Disney Channel Original Movie to premiere on a Thursday.
- This is also the first Disney Channel Original Movie to receive a TV-14 rating, unlike all of the previous Disney Channel Original Movies that were rated either TV-G or TV-PG.
- However, it's rated TV-PG L for its Disney Channel premiere for strong language.
- The movie was re-edited to remove the strong language and it altered some of the dialogue, this censored version aired on Disney Channel. It is also available to be watched on DisneyNOW.
- This is the fourth Disney Channel Original Movie to feature LGBTQ+ representation after Under Wraps, Christmas...Again?!, and Under Wraps 2.
- The cable premiere drew in 182,000 viewers.[5]
- "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction is not just mentioned in the movie, but also sung by Graham for his promposal to Mandy. He even changes some words in the lyrics to make it sound like he's asking her out.
Gallery[]
Videos[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Here's Our First Look at Disney's 'Prom Pact,' 'The Crossover,' & National Geographic's 'A Small Light.'
- ↑ Peyton Elizabeth Lee & Milo Manheim To Headline Disney+ Movie 'Prom Pact' From Julie Bowen & Melvin Mar
- ↑ 'Prom Pact': Margaret Cho & More Board Teen Rom-Com For Disney+
- ↑ Viral Disney Clip Sparks Ridicule for Something Hollywood Has Done For Years
- ↑ SHOWBUZZDAILY's Thursday 3.30.2023 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals
External links[]
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