10 Things I Hate About You has coined some of the most quotable lines from a romantic comedy including, "I know you can be overwhelmed and you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed?" "I think you can in Europe." Since its debut in 1999, 10 Things I Hate About You has become one of the most popular rom-coms. Derived from William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, the film may not be an exact representation of the comedic play, but utilizes some of the same themes, especially in regard to the way women are often objectified.
The popularity of 10 Things I Hate About You may not put it in the same category as box office successes consisting of Pretty Woman, Hitch, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, The Proposal, or Crazy Rich Asians, but it has become a beloved addition to the genre. If it wasn't as profitable as some of the other most well-known rom-coms, what is it that makes 10 Things I Hate About You so special?
The reputation 10 Things I Hate About You has gained over the years is partly due to its comedic moments and overall reliability. Aside from its standing within the rom-com genre, it is also responsible for putting some of Hollywood's brightest stars on the map. With a cast consisting of names like Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Larry Miller, it's not hard to see why 10 Things I Hate About You is such a success today. When it was first released, the film's leads in Stiles and Ledger had only been featured in small stints on television and film, catapulting them to newfound stardom following the film's premiere.
One of the things that makes 10 Things I Hate About You such a standout in comparison to some of its rom-com counterparts is its focal character, Kat Stratford (Stiles). As the edgy teen who enjoys "Thai food, feminist prose, and angry girl music of the indie rock persuasion," Kat actively tries to defy the expectations her peers have of women. Her outspoken and standoffish nature leads Kat to make a lot of enemies both in and outside of her home. Kat's way of carrying herself is an attempt to keep people at a distance but that doesn't last forever. Along the way, she slowly breaks down her walls to become more vulnerable not only for her love interest Patrick Verona (Ledger) but with her family as well.
While Kat does her best to challenge some romantic tropes, there are plenty of the traditional elements of a rom-com present within 10 Things I Hate About You. Patrick fits the misunderstood bad boy role, who has received an unfortunate reputation. From early on in the film, odd rumors circulate the school about Patrick including that he lit a state trooper on fire and ate a whole duck except for the beak and feet. He does little to combat this conception of him and it's only through his budding relationship with Kat that he reveals that none of the rumors were true. The rumor about him spending a year in San Quentin is actually because he was taking care of a family member. Therefore, much like Kat, the edgy side of Patrick becomes more of a persona than the true extent of his character.
Other tropes that 10 Things I Hate About You presents include the oblivious popular girl, whose role is filled by Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) and her friend Chastity (Gabrielle Union). In Cameron (Gordon-Levitt) and Michael (David Krumholtz), the nerdy trope comes into play. Cameron also takes on the role of the new kid and the one who hopelessly pines after the unattainable popular girl who is guarded by not only her status but her older sister and strict father. In taking on many tropes himself, Cameron is the character that begins to kick the plot of 10 Things I Hate About You into gear.
Walter Stratford (Miller) refuses to allow his daughters to date before they graduate. As an obstetrician, Walter has developed a fear of teen pregnancy for his two teen daughters which leads to his strict rules. Bianca becomes restless in her wish to have the dating rule overturned because of the interest she has taken in the entitled rich kid, Joey Donner (Andrew Keegan). Walter agrees to revise his rule by stating that Bianca can date only once her older sister Kat does. Knowing that Kat's abrasive nature will prohibit that from happening, Bianca is positive that she'll never be able to date. After telling Cameron of her father's strict rule, Cameron and Michael hatch a plan to have Patrick take out Kat. If successful, Cameron thinks that will allow him to date Bianca, unaware that she actually has her sights set on Joey.
Once Joey's interest in Bianca becomes evident, Michael successfully baits Joey into paying Patrick to take Kat out. To abide by the typical rom-com trend, the arrangement becomes muddled once Patrick and Kat begin to develop feelings for one another. With this complication in play, Patrick tries to put an end to the payments he receives but his attempts are useless in the end. It isn't until Patrick takes Kat to prom (after a lot of convincing on his end) that she learns the truth behind Patrick's persistence. Of course, she is unaware of the genuine nature of Patrick's feelings, leaving both of them with broken hearts.
To continue to pay an ode to Shakespeare, 10 Things I Hate About You uses its title to drive its point home. Tasked with writing their own versions of "Sonnet 141" for their English class, Kat reads her poem that names 10 things that she hates about Patrick. During her delivery, she breaks down in tears, running from the classroom. Shortly after, she and Patrick reconcile after he buys her a guitar to start her own band with the money Joey paid him.
10 Things I Hate About You has a little bit of everything for people to enjoy. Its timelessly comedic lines and action sequences help make it such a fun film to watch time and time again. A huge part of 10 Things I Hate About You's longevity is its way of dealing with women and the way they are treated by both their peers and viewed by society. By the end, even Bianca has shown that she is capable of defending herself, despite her frequent aloofness. Kat's best friend Mandela who is obsessed with Shakespeare also finds love in the end with Michael. By having an edgy, popular, and nerdy girl all find their own versions of love in the end, goes a long way in assisting the film's reputation in a modern world that hopes to break the repetitive trend cycle.