PROM DATES Trailer (2024) Antonia Gentry, Teen, Comedy Movie

PROM DATES Trailer (2024) Antonia Gentry, Teen, Comedy Movie

PROM DATES Trailer (2024) Antonia Gentry, Patty Guggenheim, Teen, Comedy Movie
© 2024 - Hulu

The world loves a coming-of-age teen comedy, with the likes of Booksmart and Bottoms in recent years proving the genre can be both commercially and critically successful. Perhaps the biggest appeal of the genre, besides the opportunity to showcase some of the best promising young talent working today, is its ability to resonate with almost everyone in its audience, with the devilish angst and desperate search for love at life's toughest age something we can perhaps all relate to too.

Streamers are always looking for their raunchy high-school comedy, with Hulu's upcoming offering Prom Dates. From its talented cast to an eye-catching trailer, everything is in place for this movie to succeed, with director Kim O. Nguyen ready to steer this ship. So, with all that in mind, here is everything we know about Prom Dates so far.

prom dates poster
Prom Dates
Run Time
1 hr 25 min
Director
Kim O Nguyen
Release Date
May 3, 2024
Actors
Julia Lester, Antonia Gentry, JT Neal, Jordan Buhat, Zión Moreno, Terry Hu, John Michael Higgins, Chelsea Handler
Does 'Prom Dates' Have a Release Date?
an image for the upcoming Hulu movie prom dates starring Julia Lester and Terry HuImage via Hulu
The official release date for Prom Dates is May 3, 2024. This date also marks the launch of Jerry Seinfeld's directorial debut, Unfrosted, which is set to be available on rival streaming service Netflix. However, the biggest title arriving on streaming for the first weekend of May is The Idea of You starring Anne Hathaway, which will be available on Prime Video.
Julia Lester and Antonia Gentry have good chemistry, making the film entertaining despite some execution issues.
The movie has a progressive outlook on girl teenhood, with engaging and humorous moments throughout.
Prom Dates may not be as funny as expected, but it offers an entertaining story about friendship and love for prom season.
Prom is an age-old backdrop for teen comedies, with a new prom-centric movie releasing consistently around this time of year. The Kim O. Ngyuen-directed Prom Dates finds itself in the small yet growing subgenre of teen comedies, with girls taking the lead as they navigate the messy realities of relationships, sex and friendships. Prom Dates is if Booksmart and Blockers had a crass baby. While it succeeds at focusing on the teens more, the one problem the film has is, unlike Blockers, which splits its narrative with the parents, Prom Dates is not nearly as funny as it should be.

Prom Dates Movie Poster Showing Julia Lester and Antonia Gentry Laying on a Ground Covered in Confetti
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Prom Dates is a comedy about four high school friends facing the quintessential teenage dilemma: finding the perfect date for prom. As the big night approaches, they must leap through various hurdles, misunderstandings, and the social minefield of high school on their journey to the perfect evening.

Pros
Julia Lester and Antonia Gentry have good chemistry
Good pacing and entertaining
Cons
The jokes are funny on paper, but not in execution
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series' Julia Lester and Ginny & Georgia’s Antonia Gentry portray high school girls who are eager to have the ideal prom experience. However, their plans take an unexpected turn when they suddenly find themselves without dates the night before the big day. The race for prom dates turns into a night of wild and relatable teen shenanigans.

The film’s plot revolves around two girls, intelligent and capable but seemingly on the outs regarding the social structure at school. However, the film does not make any real effort to create an arbitrary ranking system at Hannah and Jess’ school or emphasize their social standing.

Prom Dates Is Laugh-Out-Loud Funny In Theory, But Not In Practice
Its comedic execution needs some work
Prom Dates has all the elements of the typical teen sex comedy, with its crass language and gross-out humor ideally intact. Personally, the film never rose to being laugh-out-loud funny, but the jokes are good on paper, at least. Conceptually, the film has amusing ideas, but the execution leaves much to be desired, and the actresses at the center don't particularly have great comedic timing, though Lester makes out better than Gentry with her very blunt and matter-of-fact delivery of her comedic lines.

For what it's worth, the movie is perfectly positioned for prom season, offering an entertaining story about two girls figuring out their priorities regarding friendship and love.

The film moves at a breakneck speed, which impacts the effectiveness of the jokes. They don’t have proper build-up or room to land. The ensemble cast is also lacking, with John Michael Higgins giving a very familiar performance, Chelsea Handler is a non-factor, and Jordan Buhat does not belong here as he skews much older (and it doesn't help that we just saw his run as Vivek Shah in the college-set Grown-ish).

Prom Dates (2024)
Comedy
Director
Kim O. Nguyen
Release Date
May 3, 2024
Studio(s)
Hartbeat Productions , American High , LD Entertainment
Distributor(s)
Hulu
Writers
D.J. Mausner
Cast
Julia Lester , Antonia Gentry , Kenny Ridwan , JT Neal , Jordan Buhat , Zión Moreno , Terry Hu , John Michael Higgins , Chelsea Handler
Main Genre
Comedy
Expand
Prom Dates Has Entertaining Moments & Progressive Ideas
While there may be issues with the delivery of the humor, the movie does have a rather impressive progressive outlook on girl teenhood and is energetic. D.J. Mausner's script comes across as material for stand-up and doesn't settle into the film format. Still, the overall premise, the dialogue between the leads, and the projectile jokes that come flying at us every few minutes are engaging and humorous.

The movie is paced nicely and ends on a note that feels right for these characters after the night they have.

The movie moves at a good pace, with the story getting the characters in crisis mode within the first 10 minutes, and Prom Dates doesn't let up until it concludes. It takes some expected turns here and there, but there are a few choices that are refreshing to see. Luckily for the movie, the leads have good chemistry. For what it's worth, the movie is perfectly positioned for prom season, offering an entertaining story about two girls figuring out their priorities regarding friendship and love. And the conclusion is more than satisfactory.

Ultimately, Prom Dates is a good time. It's entertaining, and there are a few chuckles to be had. One can appreciate the referential and situational humor as they are timely and apt for the characters. Lester and Gentry are a winning combo. The movie is paced nicely and ends on a note that feels right for these characters after the night they have. Sure, Prom Dates leaves a lot to be desired, and I wish it were funnier, but I can recognize that it will have its fans and succeed at what it sets out to do.
Hulu has finally released the trailer for Prom Dates, its coming-of-age comedy movie starring Julia Lester (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series) as Hannah and Antonia Gentry (Ginny & Georgia) as Jess. Scheduled to arrive on the streamer on May 3, 2024, the trailer highlights the two best friends’ journey into making their middle-school fantasies come true.

Prom Dates will chronicle the story of two best friends who made a pact at age 13 to have the perfect senior prom of their lives. But just as their dreams were finally starting to come true, they both broke up with their respective boyfriends for different reasons and they only have 24 hours left before the big event.

The official synopsis reads: “Prom Dates follows best friends Jess and Hannah, who made a pact at 13 to have the perfect senior prom. Despite the impending changes that college will bring over the next four years, the two are committed to honoring their prom pact. But with only 24 hours left before the big event, everything falls apart when they break up with each of their dates. Jess and Hannah are left with one night to find new dates and live out their middle-school fantasies.”

You can watch the trailer below:

Who else stars in Prom Dates?
Directed by Kim O. Nguyen (The Other Two) and written by D.J. Mausner (Baroness Von Sketch Show), the teen comedy also stars Kenny Ridwan (The Goldbergs), JT Neal (Bless This Mess), Jordan Buhat (Grown-ish), Zión Moreno (Gossip Girl), Terry Hu (Never Have I Ever), John Michael Higgins (Licorice Pizza), and Chelsea Handler (Chelsea Lately).

The film is produced by American High’s Jeremy Garelick, Will Phelps, and Molle DeBartolo; Hartbeat’s Kevin Hart, Bryan Smiley, and Luke Kelly-Clyne; and LD Entertainment’s Mickey Liddell and Pete Shilaimon. Executive producers include Mausner, Kevin Healey, Thai Randolph, Michael Glassman, and Andrew Reyes.
Hulu has just released the trailer for its upcoming original movie, “Prom Dates,” from producer Kevin Hart.

Set to premiere on May 3, 2024, the film follows the misadventures of two best friends, Jess (played by Antonia Gentry) and Hannah (played by Julia Lester), as they navigate the challenges of senior prom.

The story revolves around Jess and Hannah’s long-standing pact made in middle school to have the perfect senior prom. However, as their big night approaches, they face unexpected hurdles. Jess discovers her boyfriend’s infidelity, while Hannah grapples with coming out as gay. This sudden turn of events leaves them scrambling to find new dates just 24 hours before the prom.

The trailer showcases the comedic chaos that ensues as the duo tries to salvage their prom dreams. From awkward encounters with potential dates to comedic mishaps involving a condom demonstration and a desperate promposal, “Prom Dates” promises a blend of humor and heartfelt moments.

Directed by Kim O. Nguyen, known for her work on popular TV shows like “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” and “Never Have I Ever,” and written by D.J. Mausner, the film boasts a talented ensemble cast. Joining Gentry and Lester are Chelsea Handler, John Michael Higgins, Kenny Ridwan, JT Neal, Jordan Buhat, Zión Moreno, and Terry Hu.

The trailer’s release has sparked excitement among viewers, drawing comparisons to beloved coming-of-age comedies like “Superbad” and “Mean Girls.” With its mix of relatable teen experiences, quirky characters, and laugh-out-loud moments, “Prom Dates” aims to become a standout addition to Hulu’s original content lineup.

Fans can mark their calendars for May 3, 2024, to catch “Prom Dates” streaming exclusively on Hulu. In the meantime, the trailer offers a sneak peek into the hilarity and heart behind this entertaining teen comedy.
The Prom Dates trailer evokes Booksmart vibes, with two friends dealing with high school frustrations.
Chaos ensues as Jess and Hannah try to score prom dates, highlighting teenage struggles humorously.
Directed by Kim O. Nguyen, Prom Dates might become a welcome addition to timeless coming-of-age films.
Hulu unveiled today a trailer for Prom Dates. The high school comedy centers around two best friends who deal with some early disappointments in life. After promising in middle school that they'd have the best senior prom ever, they make it to the end of high school without much hope of fulfilling that promise. So, they make the ultimate teenage decision: They'll stop being losers and do whatever they can to have the senior prom of their lives. You know what happens when characters in a comedy willingly invite chaos into their lives, but it's always fun to see. The movie premieres next Friday, May 3.

The trailer for Prom Dates has massive Booksmart vibes, in the best way possible. Jess (Antonia Gentry) and Hannah (Julia Lester) seem like an electric pair, the kind of friends that always have each other's backs but also know when to give it straight to each other. However, both deal with big frustrations at the same time, which leads the pair to promise each other to take it all in stride and get themselves decent dates for senior prom.

It all seems perfectly easy in theory, but the reality comes crashing down on them. Hannah is helpless around the girl she likes — embarrassingly helpless. Meanwhile, Jess manages to score a college guy but has to dance around the fact that she's a virgin and also has to find a way to invite him to prom without making it seem too lame for him. While all of this happens, we'll also get to see some pretty funny bits like a dog who's apparently lost the will to live, a pretty graphic demonstration of a condom's power of elasticity and screaming. Lots of screaming.

'Prom Dates' Is in Excellent Hands
Prom Dates is directed by Kim O. Nguyen, who has extensive experience with comedies. The director helmed episodes from Brooklyn Nine-Nine, American Auto, The Other Two and Never Have I Ever. The screenplay is penned by D.J. Mausner (Baroness Von Sketch Show). If it all goes well, Prom Dates will be a welcome addition into the recent slate of timeless coming-of-age comedies that include Superbad, Prom Pact, Love, Simon, Mean Girls and many, many others.

The cast of Prom Dates also features Chelsea Handler (Not Dead Yet), John Michael Higgins (Pitch Perfect), Kenny Ridwan (The Goldbergs), JT Neal (Bless This Mess), Jordan Buhat (Grown-ish), Zión Moreno (Gossip Girl) Terry Hu (The Girls on the Bus) and Arianna Rivas (The Harvest).

Hulu premieres Prom Dates on May 3, but Collider is also hosting a screening of the movie, followed by a Q&A on May 1. You can watch the trailer below:
In “Prom Dates,” two high school besties are sent reeling after their carefully orchestrated plans for the future take an abrupt turn, forcing them on a wild overnight adventure across town. If this set-up sounds vaguely familiar, it’s because director Kim O. Nguyen and screenwriter D.J. Mausner have combined a handful of ingredients from “Booksmart” and mixed them with some of the farcical odyssey of “After Hours.” However, unlike this teen raunch-com’s brilliantly conceived inspirations, its main friendship dynamic and ensuing shenanigans fail to resonate due to sloppy character construction and a cadre of cringe-worthy circumstances.

As innocent middle schoolers, Hannah (Millie Thorpe) and Jess (Hailey Philip) took a blood oath – one that went hilariously awry – to make their prom night the best night of their lives. But as seniors, the besties are finding that making good on their pact might prove difficult. Hannah (Julia Lester) is struggling with her sexuality, reluctantly dating dorky theater geek Greg (Kenny Ridwan), but secretly captivated by her super cool lesbian classmate Angie (Terry Hu). And Jess (Antonia Gentry) is feeling insecure in her relationship with her rich, rude boyfriend Luca (Jordan Buhat), who lobs insults at Hannah whenever he can. She’s also harboring a huge secret: She had sex with Hannah’s collegiate brother Jacob (JT Neal).

Things finally come to a head once Jess discovers Luca cheating on her and Hannah flees Greg’s house in a panic after hearing he changed colleges to be with her. It becomes clear to both girls that they need to find alternate partners for prom the following evening. Their journey takes them into foreign territory, like college parties where they awkwardly attempt to pick up new paramours, like Jess’ serial killer Italian exchange student and Hannah’s blonde mystery hook-up (who turns out to be related). They also find themselves embroiled in mischief at a frat party. Yet as time dwindles to find their perfect dates, problems between the two of them bubble to the surface, throwing their pact into jeopardy.

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Though it’s interesting to start the two protagonists in a problematic place and, over the course of the film, show them evolving to a more enlightened, healthy friendship, the execution of this concept is severely bungled. Flaws materialize before we’re even out of the picture’s opening credits. From the jump, it’s clear Jess prioritizes dudes over her friendship with Hannah, leading us to question how these gals have even stayed friends all these years. Jess allows Luca to treat her attached-at-the-hip pal like trash, remarking about her size. Not only is some of her behavior irredeemable, she also says horrible things to Hannah that she can’t walk back from, no matter how hard the filmmakers try. So it’s difficult to root for Jess as an individual, let alone for her friendship with Hannah to survive, considering Hannah would be better off without Jess.

While it’s undoubtedly ironic and refreshing to see a hetero leading lady – or co-lead, in this case – dealt a disservice by not being given a formidable arc, Hannah’s transformation, on the other hand, feels authentically textured and lived in. This is partly due to Lester’s humorous and tender performance, nailing the comedic timing and physicality, as well as the earnest sincerity. The other parts are courtesy of Mausner’s insightful character creation and Nguyen’s modulation of tone when those character-driven moments arise. Hannah’s internal conflict dealing with her queerness is indeed a heartening one, perhaps relatable to some in the target audience. It might help open a door to productive post-screening conversations.

That said, there’s a noticeable lack of consistency from the picture overall. When the dialogue is funny, it’s uproariously so, but mileage might vary as to the rest of the jokes. Quirky and wacky scenarios the gals find themselves in – like Jess’ misunderstanding with a dumb jock at a frat house and Hannah’s embarrassment over Greg’s prom-posal – aren’t particularly funny. Neither is Greg, as the filmmakers can’t figure out if we should be laughing at him or with him. Pairing him with milquetoast Jacob isn’t a compelling C-story either. Heather (Zión Moreno) is the rare exception as she leaves an indelible mark with her drunken overconfidence, one-liners and sequin-sporting sparkle. Their zany Principal Lundy (John Michael Higgins) plays like a relic leftover from an ’80s movie. Gross-out gags involving blood and puke feel like binned ’90s-era Farrelly Brothers setups, as does the storyline involving Greg’s mom (Chelsea Handler) and her obsession with their smart pup Lucy (played by dog actor Kiss).

Aesthetically, Nguyen and company demonstrate some visual dexterity. Setting Hannah and Jess’ inevitable fight scene at a romantically lit location provides an inherently amusing juxtaposition between the beauty of the fountain and the ugliness of their argument and subsequent desecration. Hannah’s fantastical visions are perfectly captured through cinematographer Bradford Lipson’s lens and Daniel Reitzenstein’s crisp cuts, from her Lisa Frank-colored daydream about Angie to her slo-mo confident stroll through a party house. Eve McCarney’s production design shines in Heather’s drug den decorated with streams of metallic silver and strings of Christmas lights.

Since the premise is character-driven, it’s a shame better attention wasn’t paid to the characters who are driving the story. Worse, the gimmick ultimately doesn’t hold up beyond act one as it becomes increasingly obvious to everyone but the main characters what the outcome will and should be. There are better prom-themed movies with which to make a date.

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Antonia Gentry, Julia Lester, Kim O. Nguyen, Prom Dates
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‘Prom Dates’ Review: A Pact Goes Pear-Shaped in More Ways Than One in Hulu’s Reductive Raunch-Com
Reviewed online, Los Angeles, April 27, 2024. Running time: 85 MIN.
Production: A Hulu release of an LD Entertainment production, in association with Hartbeat Prods. of an American High Film. Producer: Molle DeBartolo, Mickey Liddell, Pete Shilaimon, Kevin Hart, Bryan Smiley, Luke Kelly-Clyne, Jeremy Garelick, Will Phelps. Executive Producers: D.J. Mausner, Andrew Reyes, Thai Randolph, Kevin Healey, Ty Walker, Michael Glassman.
Crew: Director: Kim O. Nguyen. Screenplay: D.J. Mausner. Camera: Bradford Lipson. Editor: Daniel Reitzenstein. Music: Matthew Compton.
With: Julia Lester, Antonia Gentry, Kenny Ridwan, JT Neal, Jordan Buhat, Terry Hu, Zión Moreno, John Michael Higgins, Chelsea Handler, Millie Thorpe, Hailey Philip.
EXCLUSIVE: The cast for the American High and Hartbeat Hulu movie Prom Dates has been set with Chelsea Handler and Best in Show‘s John Michael Higgins, but also Julia Lester, Antonia Gentry, Kenny Ridwan, JT Neal, Jordan Buhat, Zión Moreno, and Terry Hu. The movie will hit the service this spring.

The Kim O. Nguyen directed, D.J. Mausner scripted movie follows best friends Jess and Hannah (Gentry and Lester), who make a pact at 13 to have the perfect senior prom. Despite the impending changes that college will bring over the next four years, the two are committed to honoring their prom pact. But with only 24 hours left before the big event, everything falls apart when they break up with each of their dates. Jess and Hannah are left with one night to find new dates and live out their middle-school fantasies.

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Producers are Jeremy Garelick, Will Phelps and Molle DeBartolo for American High; Kevin Hart, Bryan Smiley and Luke Kelly-Clyne for Hartbeat; and Mickey Liddell and Pete Shilaimon for LD Entertainment. EPs are Kevin Healey and Thai Randolph for Hartbeat, Michael Glassman for LD Entertainment, and Mausner and Andrew Reyes. Jason Zaro will serve as co-producer for Hulu and Axelle Azoulay as associate producer.

(Clockwise Top L-R) Julia Lester, Antonia Gentry, Kenny Ridwan, JT Neal, Jordan Buhat, Zion Moreno & Terry Hu
Kevin McIntyre Photography/Kendall Bessent/Joe Hubbard/Jackson Davis/Jack Blizzard/Exavier Castro
Lester is a Tony Award nominee for Broadway’s Into the Woods and starred on High School Musical: The Series. Her character Hannah is billed as an anxious closeted lesbian who navigates her new queerness while her best friendship with Jess unravels. Lester is repped by Paradigm, Perennial Entertainment, Ziffren Brittenham LLP.

Gentry’s Jess is a high school senior who is a little too interested in what others think of her, and she’s rather drop dead than go to prom alone and puts her longtime best friendship with Hannah in jeopardy because of it. Gentry stars as Ginny in Netflix’s original series Ginny & Georgia. She is repped by Industry Entertainment and HJTH.

Ridwan plays Greg, Hannah’s intensely loving boyfriend and an enthusiastic student council president. He completed his undergraduate B.A. at Columbia University while simultaneously filming The Goldbergs. He is now studying under Matt Newton at MN Acting Studios in New York City and Tom Draper in Los Angeles. He is repped by Domina Holbeck, Sloane Fitzgerald and Gregg Edwards Management.

Handler plays Barb, Greg’s mother who is obsessed with her dog, while Higgins plays Jess and Hannah’s high school principal who has a passion for safe sex education. Higgins is repped by UTA and SOWDLLP. Handler is represented by UTA, Ocean Avenue, and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox, L.L.P.

Neal plays Jacob, Hannah’s sweet older brother with eyes for Jess. He is repped by Innovative Artists and Holly Shelton Management.

Buhat plays Jess’s jerk jock boyfriend. He is repped by Play Management, Buchwald & Jackoway Austen.

Moreno plays Heather, a college party girl who grabs life by tegh horns. The actress who has appeared on Max’s Gossip Girl and Netflix’s Control Z, is repped by Gersh, Vision Ent. and Jackoway Tyerman Wertheimer.

Hu plays Angie, a butch lesbian with a rockstar energy and Hannah’s crush. Hu is repped by Domina Holbeck, Sloane Fitzgerald, Brian Sacripanti and LBI Entertainment.

Nguyen started her career as a commercial director working with numerous stars including Hart, Amy Schumer, and Reese Witherspoon. In television, her credits include Survival of the Thickest for Netflix, Welcome to Flatch for Fox, Boo Bitch for Netflix, The Other Two for HBO Max, and True Story starring Ed Helms and Randall Park for Peacock. She also directed episodes of Never Have I Ever for Netflix and Brooklyn 99 for NBC. She is repped by Stacey Lubliner at 3 Arts Entertainment and Verve.

Mausner currently serving as a staff writer on Nickelodeon’s Max and the Midnights and consulting on various projects for Netflix Animation. They previously won a Canadian Screen Award for best writing in a variety sketch comedy series for their work on CBC/IFC’s Baroness Von Sketch Show. Additionally, they were featured in the 2023 CBS TALENT SHOWCASE and starred opposite Ruby Rose, Paris Berelc and Barbie’s Hari Nef in the Amazon/Lionsgate comedy feature 1UP. Mausner is repped by Artists First and Ginsburg Daniels Kallis LLP.

American High’s collaboration with Hulu Originals has resulted in seven original films and one acquisition, which launched to critical and consumer acclaim, including hit films such as Pete Davidson’s lead debut, Big Time Adolescence, Natalie Morales’ Plan B and the company’s first-ever sequel, It’s a Wonderful Binge — directed by The Binge scribe, Jordan VanDina, in his feature directorial debut. Prom Dates marks the eighth film under the original first-look slate deal with American High for Hulu. The company’s catalog includes I Love My Dad, Banana Split, and Mark, Mary & Some Other People, all of which are available to stream on Hulu.