Here are . 1. The Sheer Impossibility of Heath Ledger Let’s get this out of the way. Patrick Verona is a “dangerous loner” who rides a motorcycle, wears leather jackets, and... sings in a marching band? In what universe would a guy who looks like that ever need to be paid $500 to date someone? The suspension of disbelief needed here is Olympic-level. 2. The "Kissing Booth" Economics Joey Donner pays Patrick $500 to take Kat out so Joey can date Bianca. But Bianca can’t date until Kat dates. That is a convoluted, dangerous, and frankly stupid bet. Also, $500 in 1999 was a lot of money. Today, that’s like two weeks of groceries. Patrick got ripped off. 3. Bianca’s Wardrobe (Specifically the Headband) I hate that I still want Bianca’s baby blue cardigan and the butterfly clips. I hate that “basic” was a crime in the 90s, yet her look has become the blueprint for every Gen Z “clean girl” aesthetic. The hypocrisy stings. 4. Mr. Stratford, The Actual Villain A practicing OB/GYN who is that terrified of his daughters having sex? He keeps a teenager on house arrest for ding-dong-ditching ? Sir, you deliver babies for a living. Calm down. 5. The "I'm Just a Teenage Girl" Scene Bianca’s fake tantrum in the music store is the most cringe-worthy, glorious piece of acting ever committed to film. I hate that I can recite it word for word. “I’m just a cockroach trying to make it in a world of ants!” makes no sense. And I love it. 6. The Paintball Date It is 7:00 AM. Kat has not had coffee. Patrick shows up in full tactical gear and takes her to a forest to shoot at strangers. In real life, this is a red flag. In 1999, it was romance. I hate that I still want a paintball date. 7. The Absence of Cell Phones The entire plot relies on missed connections, payphones, and showing up at someone’s house unannounced. If this movie were made today, Kat would have texted Patrick “wyd” and the whole bet would have been exposed in 20 minutes. I hate that this actually made communication more romantic. 8. Joey Donner’s Confidence Joey thinks he’s the king of Padua High because he drives a BMW and has frosted tips. He is a walking HR violation. Yet, somehow, he always has a full lunch table. I hate that guys like this actually exist in the wild. 9. The "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" Scene I hate this scene because it set the bar for romance so impossibly high that no real man has ever cleared it. Running through a stadium, stealing a microphone, being chased by security, singing badly on purpose? It’s theatrical, absurd, and completely perfect. I hate that I cry every single time. 10. The Poem I hate the poem because it’s too real. Kat lists all the superficial things she hates (his ego, his smug smile) before landing on the real wound: “I hate the way I don’t hate you. Not even close. Not even a little bit. Not even at all.” I hate that after 25 years, that line still cuts me to the bone. The 1 Thing I’ll Always Love Despite the anachronisms, the questionable ethics, and the frosted tips, I love that 10 Things I Hate About You gave us a heroine who was angry for a reason. Kat Stratford wasn't a brat; she was a girl who was hurt by a boy and decided to build a fortress around her heart. She reads Sylvia Plath, wants to go to Sarah Lawrence, and refuses to apologize for being smart.
So, I hate 10 things about you, 10 Things . But I love everything else. 10 Things I Hate About You
We all have that one movie from our teenage years that refuses to leave our DNA. For some, it’s Clueless . For others, it’s 10 Things I Hate About You . Released in 1999, this Shakespearean adaptation ( The Taming of the Shrew , for the uninitiated) gave us Heath Ledger as a brooding god, Julia Stiles as a feminist icon, and a high school hierarchy that made zero sense. Here are
But let’s be real: nostalgia goggles are powerful. So, in the spirit of Kat Stratford’s famous poem, I’ve decided to write a hate letter to the movie I actually love. Patrick Verona is a “dangerous loner” who rides
In a genre full of makeover montages where girls change for guys, Kat changes because she wants to soften. And Patrick changes because he realizes he’s not just a delinquent; he’s a poet.