---
title: "10 Things I Hate About You"
year: 1999
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/10-things-i-hate-about-you"
fi1m_id: "10-things-i-hate-about-you"
imdb_id: "tt0147800"
tmdb_id: 4951
wikidata_id: "Q169082"
fi1m_score: 80
critics_score: 74
critics_reviews: 15
published: "2026-09-23"
updated: "2026-09-23T11:03:59.119850+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Directed by Gil Junger · 1h 37m · MPA PG-13 · Comedy, Romance, Drama

## Identity

10 Things I Hate About You

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/10-things-i-hate-about-you
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** 10-things-i-hate-about-you
- **IMDb ID:** tt0147800
- **TMDB ID:** 4951
- **Wikidata ID:** Q169082
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0147800/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/4951, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q169082

**Fi1m score: 80** · Critics 74 from 15 reviews

*In a sentence:* Julia Stiles makes teenage bad temper seem a sensible response to the available company

> Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger give this Shakespearean school romance warmth without sanding away all its bad temper. The plotting is patchy and the party scenes drag, but the courtship is funny enough to forgive both.

## Synopsis

At an American high school, Katarina Stratford (Julia Stiles) wants to remain independent rather than make herself agreeable. Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger) is an unlikely romantic prospect for her, while Cameron James (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and Bianca Stratford (Larisa Oleynik) are also part of the school’s courtship complications. Katarina’s resistance to other people’s expectations makes the possibility of getting close to someone difficult. Classmates and adults have their own ideas about how a young woman ought to behave. The romantic disputes draw on *The Taming of the Shrew*, with Shakespeare’s characters reworked as American teenagers.

## Review

*10 Things I Hate About You* is a funny, warm teen romance whose leads make its mechanical plotting easy to forgive. Gil Junger directs with a useful willingness to let an actor be more interesting than the joke. Writers Karen McCullah and Kirsten Smith borrow from *The Taming of the Shrew* without treating Shakespeare as an excuse to give everyone homework. Their strongest decision is to take Katarina Stratford’s anger seriously, even when the comedy finds her difficult.

Julia Stiles gives Katarina the impatience of someone who expects to be patronised and has prepared accordingly. Her delivery is clipped without turning every remark into a performance of cleverness. We laughed at her hostility, then felt protective of her, because Stiles makes the irritation look exhausting to carry around. The film allows her to be funny without suggesting that every objection she raises is silly. That matters when the plot begins asking us to care about her romantic life.

Heath Ledger’s Patrick Verona gives that romance the ease it needs. Ledger is charming without looking as though he has stopped to check whether the charm is working, and he lets Stiles keep the sharper edges of their exchanges. They are plausibly mismatched: there is enough friction to make their conversations entertaining, and enough interest in each other to make the softer passages credible. The attraction develops through the performances even when the writing takes a convenient shortcut.

Mark Irwin’s bright cinematography suits the comic bustle, and Carol Winstead Wood’s production design makes the high-school setting an agreeable place to spend time. The images are not the main attraction, but they give the performances room without insisting that every conversation be a visual event. That restraint helps when Stiles and Ledger are together. The film knows that watching their faces is usually enough.

O. Nicholas Brown’s editing keeps the exchanges brisk, though the party scenes are where the rhythm slackens. At 97 minutes, the film still finds time to repeat business whose outcome is already clear. Richard Gibbs’s score supports the lighter passages capably; the wider use of music can feel insistent when the romance has already made its point. The actors are persuasive enough for the film to ease off, and Junger does not always seem to realise it.

McCullah and Smith also rely on familiar romantic complications to move things along, and the ingenuity of individual lines sometimes exceeds that of the plotting. Some jokes settle for a juvenile nudge when the surrounding dialogue has encouraged us to expect better. The literary references vary in usefulness, too: a few sound pleased with themselves rather than natural in the conversation. These are noticeable weaknesses, though the script keeps returning to characters whose company we enjoy.

As teen romances go, its willingness to take an angry girl seriously puts it ahead of films that regard an improved wardrobe as character development. There is still more reassurance here than risk, and anyone wanting a harsher account of school life should look elsewhere. For an evening when the jokes need to be good and the romance needs to feel possible, we would choose this.

*Fi1m score 80, published 23 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics respond warmly to 10 Things I Hate About You, praising a witty high-school Shakespeare update that gives its young characters some intelligence. Praise centres on the sharp script, the appeal across generations and the chemistry between Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger. Stiles draws particular attention for making Kat spirited and unapologetic. Several reviews also welcome the treatment of teenage girls, finding more respect for their anger and independence than the familiar romantic-comedy setup might suggest.

The reservations concern how well that freshness survives the plotting, with some reviews finding forced literary references, recycled situations and an uneven tone. The responses range from enthusiastic to mixed, with none wholly negative. Variety finds the energetic scenes insufficiently connected and the dialogue divided between wit and juvenility. Sight and Sound offers a firmer dissent, arguing that the adaptation makes Shakespeare accessible without developing the harder edge it needs.

## Straight answers

**Is 10 Things I Hate About You worth watching?**

*10 Things I Hate About You* is worth watching for a funny, warm teen romance, and we score it 80 out of 100. Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger make the attraction convincing without softening all the bad temper; the plotting takes shortcuts and the party scenes drag, but we recommend it for their company.

**How long is 10 Things I Hate About You, and what is it rated?**

*10 Things I Hate About You* runs 1h 37m and is rated PG-13 by the MPA in the US. It is a comedy and romance film.

**Where can I watch 10 Things I Hate About You in the US?**

*10 Things I Hate About You* is streaming on Peacock, Disney+ and The Roku Channel in the US. It leaves Peacock on 1 October. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is 10 Things I Hate About You, and is it suitable for children?**

*10 Things I Hate About You* carries a UK 12 certificate, making it a more appropriate choice for teenagers than younger children. Its school courtships and occasionally juvenile jokes suit that audience, but we have no specific content details that would justify reassurance about violence or frightening moments beyond the certificate’s age guidance.

**How does 10 Things I Hate About You compare to Clueless?**

*10 Things I Hate About You* is our choice over [*Clueless*](https://film.one/film/clueless) for romantic chemistry and a heroine whose anger receives sympathetic attention. We recommend *Clueless* instead for its affectionate comedy about clothes, status and teenage vanity, carried by Alicia Silverstone’s earnestness and Amy Heckerling’s ear for slang. Both literary updates have engaging performances and weaknesses in plotting and pace.

**What should I watch after 10 Things I Hate About You?**

After *10 Things I Hate About You*, try [*Clueless*](https://film.one/film/clueless) (1995, Fi1m 84): Another literary update that gives teenage vanity more thought than it initially promises. Then [*Easy A*](https://film.one/film/easy-a) (2010, Fi1m 77): School gossip, verbal sparring and a heroine who deserves better than her classmates.

### Reviews we read (15)

- **Total Film** (88/100, inferred): The critic hails it as a surprisingly sharp and joyously entertaining teen comedy that succeeds where it has no right to. They single out the fast-paced plot delivery, believable mismatched leads, great one-liners, and fun updating of Shakespeare for praise. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/10-things-i-hate-about-you-review/)
- **The Guardian** (85/100, inferred): The critic finds it the smartest, funniest and most likeable film of the week, praising its charming homage to Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew in a high school setting. They single out its literate script and the way it pays young audiences the compliment of intelligence with literary references. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/1999/jul/09/3)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Kevin Thomas (80/100, inferred): The critic calls the film witty and bristling with appeal across generations due to its sharp adaptation and direction. He singles out Julia Stiles' strong, unapologetic performance as Katarina for particular praise. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-mar-31-ca-22705-story.html)
- **Radio Times**, Joanna Berry (4/5): An engaging romantic comedy that smartly updates Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew to high-school America in the style of Clueless, with strong performances and appeal to both teens and adults. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-qgmq7h/10-things-i-hate-about-you/)
- **The AV Club**, Caroline Siede (80/100, inferred): The critic calls it the best of the 1999 teen romantic comedies and the year's thinking-person's version, crediting its thoughtful Shakespeare update with late-'90s Riot Grrrl energy, naturalistic lead performances, and genuine respect for angry teen girls who do not need to change to earn their happy endings. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/20-years-later-10-things-i-hate-about-you-remains-a-mo-1833482484)
- **Time Out**, CO'Su (80/100, inferred): The film is praised as a quiet revelation that updates the source material with sharper female characters, plausible relationships and gentle wit, outperforming more flashy adaptations like Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/10-things-i-hate-about-you)
- **Empire**, Caroline Westbrook (78/100, inferred): The critic calls it a solid summer crowd-pleaser that modernizes The Taming of the Shrew into a bright teen comedy. They single out the likeable characters, spirited performances (especially Stiles), incidental humor, and Ledger's standout musical sequence for praise, while noting some patchy plotting. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/10-things-hate-review/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Hunter (78/100, inferred): The critic calls it a spirited, shameless teen rom-com reworking of The Taming of the Shrew with a bright young cast that is destined to score with its target audience, though not for serious Shakespeare fans. Praises the chemistry and success of leads Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/10-things-i-hate-you-review-1999-movie-1198033/)
- **The New York Times** (70/100, inferred): The review praises the film's efforts to incorporate Shakespearean elements but finds some of them forced. It highlights Julia Stiles' spirited and feminist portrayal of Kat as a standout charm amid the teen movie conventions. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/1999/03/31/movies/film-review-it-s-like-you-know-sonnets-and-stuff.html)
- **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (65/100, inferred): The critic finds the film charming in spots thanks to its cast and lively scenes but notes it is trapped by a tired recycled plot formula. He singles out the sweet chemistry between the leads and some inventive musical moments for praise while criticizing tedious party scenes. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/10-things-i-hate-about-you-1999)
- **Variety** (50/100, inferred): The review finds the results scattershot and lacking cohesion despite high energy, with dialogue that mixes inspired and juvenile elements. It notes the cast is decent, particularly Stiles and Ledger, but the film lands in the middle of the genre. [Read](https://variety.com/1999/film/reviews/10-things-i-hate-about-you-1200456750/)
- **Sight and Sound**, Peter Matthews (45/100, inferred): The critic sees the film as a lightweight teen comedy adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew that lacks artistic integrity and fails to develop a hard edge, despite attempts to make Shakespeare accessible to young audiences. [Read](http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/review/159)
- **Digital Spy**, Emma Dibdin (85/100, inferred): The critic celebrates the film's lasting charm as a witty modern screwball romance and loose Shakespeare adaptation, noting its fresh take on high school tropes through sharp scripting and strong leads. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/re-viewed/a638334/re-viewed-10-things-i-hate-about-you-celebrates-its-16th-birthday/)
- **Collider**, Brendan Bettinger (80/100, inferred): The critic highlights the film's enduring rewatchability and the strong ensemble cast, especially Heath Ledger's charismatic breakout performance as Patrick, while noting its loose, modern adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew succeeds on charm and surface-level appeal. [Read](https://collider.com/10-things-i-hate-about-you-10th-anniversary-dvd-review/)
- **Eye for Film**, Angus Wolfe Murray (65/100, inferred): The critic finds the film starts with sharp wit as a high-school Taming of the Shrew but loses its edge once the central couple softens and the soundtrack becomes noticeable. The unknown young cast delivers a fresh and funny ensemble piece, though the director and writers are less successful at sustaining the initial spark. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/10-things-i-hate-about-you-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)

## Details

- **Director:** Gil Junger
- **Director:** Gil Junger
- **Writer:** Karen McCullah, Kirsten Smith
- **Cinematography:** Mark Irwin
- **Editor:** O. Nicholas Brown
- **Music:** Richard Gibbs
- **Production design:** Carol Winstead Wood
- **Costume design:** Kimberly A. Tillman
- **Producer:** Andrew Lazar
- **Cast:** Heath Ledger as Patrick Verona; Julia Stiles as Katarina Stratford; Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Cameron James; Larisa Oleynik as Bianca Stratford; David Krumholtz as Michael Eckman; Andrew Keegan as Joey Donner; Susan May Pratt as Mandella; Gabrielle Union as Chastity
- **Runtime:** 1h 37m
- **Certificate (MPA):** PG-13
- **Release (the US):** 31 March 1999
- **Genres:** Comedy, Romance, Drama
- **Budget:** $16 million
- **Box office:** $53 million

## Where to watch in the US

- Peacock: streaming, hd, leaving 2026-10-01
- Disney+: streaming, uhd
- The Roku Channel: add-on, hd, leaving 2026-10-01

*Checked 2026-09-23.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Clueless* (1995), Fi1m 84: Another literary update that gives teenage vanity more thought than it initially promises. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/clueless.md)
- *The Sure Thing* (1985): A mismatched courtship with enough warmth to make the familiar journey worthwhile.
- *Show Me Love* (1998): For teenage desire and loneliness treated seriously, without losing the awkward humour.
- *Easy A* (2010), Fi1m 77: School gossip, verbal sparring and a heroine who deserves better than her classmates. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/easy-a.md)
- *Sing Street* (2016): Young love and music, with room for embarrassment alongside the wishful thinking.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/10-things-i-hate-about-you