Family Entertainment
DVD Corner: Sydney White
Danielle Turchiano |
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 Amanda Bynes has certainly become the atypical young Hollywood starlet these past few years: she has not been photographed underage drinking at clubs; she has not gotten arrested or subsequently had to check into rehab; and perhaps most notably, she has embraced her young fans, delivering them consistently cheerful, cute and simply inoffensive comedies. Joe Nussbaum’s Sydney White, a modern-day retelling of the classic Grimm fairytale Snow White, is another such example of Bynes’ charismatic comedic ability to be one part trendy Mean Girl (but after she breaks the Spring Fling tiara apart) and one part modern-day pratfall queen, a la Lucille Ball. Her fearlessness to appear goofy amid droves of superficiality is refreshingly relatable, as she plays off her own inner dork in Sydney White.
Nussbaum’s version of the childhood classic has his heroine, Sydney (Bynes), entering college (the fictional Southern Atlantic University) with the sole directive of seeking out and pledging her late mother’s sorority, Kappa Phi Nu, in order to give herself the fantastical college life she sees in her mother’s old pictures. Jealous that fraternity president Tyler Prince (the always charming Matt Long) has caught Sydney’s eye, Kappa leader Rachel Witchburn (Sara Paxton) orders her blonde army of followers to ostracize the genuinely down-to-earth brunette, despite her legacy.
 Sydney ends up seeking out refuge in the Vortex, the least popular frat on the Row, living with seven (slightly short) dorks. It is there that she realizes she has much more in common with her fellow comic-book lovers than with the materialistic hyenas hell-bent on disbanding the Vortex and building their own house expansion in its place (a plot point that mixes Revenge of the Nerds with the upcoming I Know What Boys Like and thankfully manages to tell its story closer to the success of the former rather than the latter).
Cinematographer Mark Irwin and editor Danny Saphire have worked together to create bright, saturated images, evoking the rich colors of the original Snow White’s animation. Bynes in particular seems to glow in this film, a thin halo of light reflecting off of her chestnut hair. Upon first glance, it does look a bit odd, almost as if the image has not been compressed properly for a common television’s specs. However, as the movie goes on and that same light reflects the twinkle in Long’s eye, it becomes apparent this was not a mistake but one of White’s attempts at stylization, just like the expositional voice-over.
Sydney White on DVD (Universal Studios Home Entertainment, MSRP: $29.98) doesn’t disappoint in the bonus features department, either, offering six deleted scenes with commentary from the director. Surprisingly, these scenes are just as fun as the ones that actually made the cut. A YouTube-worthy piece on the “mascot” Skoozer is sure to be a hit with the tween crowd, and a short gag reel gives home viewers a quick behind-the-scenes look at what production was like on the Sydney White set.
 The real gems, however, are the five featurettes that explore the characters and the actors who bring them to life. “Sydney White and Her Prince” is a five-minute look at the chemistry between Bynes and Long, both in and out of character. “Meet the Dorks” is exactly what it claims to be: an almost 10-minute piece on the actors who play Bynes’ sidekicks, most notably Samm Levine and Danny Strong. “Kappas Forever” introduces the audience to Sara Paxton and her minions (the sorority girls and Sydney’s seeming-nemeses in the film), begging the question, “Is this what sisterhood is really all about?” “Welcome to the Vortex” is a five-minute tour of the boys’ house and the decisions that went into the production design. And, finally, “The Original Dork” is a making-of documentary where Nussbaum and the cast discuss his style and some tidbits from the filming of the movie.
Sydney White is not unique in its story nor its message, but it provides a fun, light-hearted ride for both those about to enter college and those who just got out nonetheless.
Sydney White is now available on DVD.
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