And while I could go on and on about the various things that made this film so extraordinary, today I would rather focus on one specific element. One spectacular element — Patrick "The Teen Rebel" Verona.
I mean honestly, let's just take a moment to appreciate this man.
Patrick is your typical '90s high school bad boy, plucked straight from the wrong side of the tracks. He's introduced as a loner, a rebel and a little bit ~dangerous~ — which is just about the greatest recipe you can whip up for lust-inducing-male-lead.
We all know the story (and if you don't, please just watch the damn film), but Patrick soon gets caught up in a devious plan to force the notoriously cold-hearted Kat Stratford to date.
Which leads to what is arguably the greatest, most romantic gesture of any rom-com ever filmed. Yes, I am talking about the marching band scene.
In an attempt to woo Kat, Patrick commandeers the school marching band so he can serenade her during soccer practice.
He busts out his best dance moves, manages to evade the campus police and puts everything on the line in his efforts to land a date.
It's daring, romantic, courageous and sprinkled with just the right amount of public humiliation.
Needless to say, teenage-me was punch drunk and utterly convinced that this was the type of man I would one day be courted by too.
We were not worthy of you, Heath Ledger. But goddamn, am I pleased that we will always have this memory of you.
