Angus, Thongs And Perfect Snogging (12A)

Jul 27 2008 By Roz Laws

BASED on Louise Rennison’s bestselling books and directed by Gurinder “Bend It Like Beckham” Chadha, this has all the ingredients for a great British teen comedy. Yet despite funny and charming moments, it doesn’t quite work.

Georgia Groome plays Georgia Nicolson, a clever and quirky 14 year-old living in Eastbourne who struggles with the same things most teenagers do – embarrassing parents and worries about her kissing technique.

“I’m a woman now, I wear a bra!” she tells her parents, Alan Davies and Karen Taylor, in a bid to get a grown-up birthday party.

Georgia fancies Robbie (Aaron Johnson) but he already has a thong-wearing girlfriend. He likes cats, so she uses pet moggy Angus as her secret weapon.

It’s a fun film which young girls will connect with – this is for everyone who’s felt the pain of unrequited love or your best friend neglecting you for a boy.

But the acting is decidedly mixed and there are some very forced and cheesy moments.

Still, you do get to see TV presenter Steve Jones with his top off, which for some will be worth the price of admission alone.