He’s All That is Netflix’s latest hit teen romantic comedy. The film stars Influencer and social media star Addison Rae, Tanner Buchanan, Peyton Meyer, and Madison Pettis. He’s All That is a remake of the '90s teen classic She’s All That. It takes the basic concept of She’s All That, a teen makeover film, modernizes it, and swaps the genders. He’s All That manages to create its own identity while paying homage to the original film, especially during the He’s All That ending.
The He’s All That ending is where the film makes it most known that it respects and appreciates the original. It has a lot of similarities to the She’s All That ending, callbacks to the original film, and some much-needed updates. Let’s examine the He’s All That ending and how it relates to the She’s All That ending.
What Happened At The End of He’s All That
Cameron (Tanner Buchanan) decides to make a promposal to Padgett (Addison Rae) at the carwash fundraiser for the prom. Padgett says yes but Alden (Madison Pettis) chooses at this moment to expose the bet to Cameron. Understandably, Cameron is pissed off.
Later, Padgett prepares for the prom and wants to make a big gesture to win Cameron back. However, she’s not sure if he’ll be going to the prom. She enlists Brin (Isabella Crovetti), Cameron’s sister, to help. Brin finds Cameron at his job and tells him that he was just becoming his old self again since he’s been spending time with Padgett.
Brin says they lost their mother and warns him to not lose Padgett too. At the prom, Padgett and Jordan (Peyton Meyer) win prom queen and king. Padgett gives a speech about being her true self. She then gives Principal Bosch (Matthew Lillard) her crown back.
Alden thinks this means she is now prom queen, but Bosch reveals that she lost by a lot. Celeste (Heather Ann Gottlieb) is the actual new prom queen. Outside the prom, Padgett receives a text from Cameron saying he loved her speech. He then rides up on a horse to see her.
The two talk it out, kiss, and dance the night away. Flash forward a few months later, Padgett broadcasts from Portugal with Cameron. They’re seeing the world together over the summer. They also both get Loser tattoos as part of Padgett’s punishment for losing the bet.
What Happened At The End Of She’s All That?
Zack (Freddie Prinze Jr) confronts Dean (Paul Walker) about asking Laney (Rachael Leigh Cook) to the prom. Dean then decides to reveal the bet to Laney. Even more understandably, Laney is very upset. Later, Dean arrives to take Laney to the prom, while Zack stands up Taylor (Jodi Lyn O’Keefe) and takes his sister Mackenzie (Anna Paquin) to the prom instead.
At the prom, Dean brags about his plans to hook up with Laney after the prom, but no one takes him seriously. However, Laney’s friend Jesse (Elden Henson) overhears this and runs to tell Mackenzie. They then run to find Zack.
Zack and Taylor win prom king and queen. Laney decides to leave with Dean while Zack is giving his big speech.. Mackenzie and Jesse interrupt his speech to inform him about Dean’s intentions. Zack drives all over town to find Laney and Dean.
Later, Laney arrives back home to find Zack waiting for her. She reveals that Dean did try something but she used her mini-bullhorn to stop his advances. Zack explains that he made the bet before he really knew her. The two dance and kiss in Laney’s backyard. On graduation day, Zack holds up his end of the bet by graduating nude as punishment for losing the bet.
Where He’s All That And She’s All That Are Alike And Differ
The entire final acts are very similar. Laney and Cameron even both utter the lines “Am I a f--king bet!” Zack and Padgett also have their bets exposed by their former friends now turned biggest rivals. We also see in both films the main couple reunited outside of the prom--for Laney, it’s at her home and for Cameron, it’s directly outside the prom.
The major difference between the two endings is that Padgett actually gets a big speech and isn’t interrupted. Her speech also has a little more substance than Zack’s speech. The consequences for losing the bets are also very different. Padgett must get a loser tattoo and Zack must graduate nude. We also don’t see Laney and Zack’s post-graduation plans, though they mention maybe attending art school together. We also don’t see Cameron and Padgett graduate but we see their post-graduation plans of traveling the world together.
Major Callbacks To She’s All That In He’s All That
He’s All That has a ton of references to the original film, especially at the end. One of the most obvious references is when there is a sudden dance battle at the prom. There was a random dance sequence in She’s All That, and He’s All That mimics it with a random dance battle. Padgett wears a bright red dress to the prom, a clear nod to Laney’s memorable red dress moment from She’s All That. Then there are a bunch of little callback moments, like the new DJ--a possible reference to Usher’s cameo in the film as the school’s DJ.
The best reference to She’s All That during the ending of He’s All That is Matthew Lillard. He plays the Principal in He’s All That and played Brock Hudson in She’s All That. In She’s All That, he was a former Real World star who Taylor dumps Zack for, and ends up dumping her.
The Matthew Lillard cameo isn’t a complete surprise because it was revealed way before He’s All That’s release, but the way it was utilized was quite fun and surprising. Principal Bosch is basically the opposite of Brock. We also get a dance sequence from Bosch at the prom -- which is witnessed by Padgett's mom (played by Rachael Leigh Cook) -- that’s very similar to Brock’s random dancing at a party in She’s All That. Another major callback to the original movie is “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None The Richer.
The song plays at the makeover reveal moment in She’s All That and at the very end of the movie. In He’s All That, it plays when Padgett leaves the prom and Cameron shows up. It also starts off like normal, then turns into a remix version during the He’s All That ending. “Kiss Me” was a major song for She’s All That but also just a major song for any 90s teen TV Show or movie, especially Dawson’s Creek.
Does He’s All That Live Up To The Legacy of She’s All That?
Some of my favorite movies are '90s teen rom-coms, but She’s All That has never been a favorite of mine. And watching it back, it’s even worse than I remember, but She’s All That was never meant to be anything other than a bubblegum pop romantic comedy. He’s All That is just as silly, carefree, and obsessed with dance numbers as the original.
However, I personally think that He’s All That is one of the better romantic teen Netflix movies. Yes, it plays fast and loose with product placement, and Addison Rae’s new to this whole acting thing, but, if you don’t take it too seriously, there is a lot to enjoy about this film.
It definitely lives up to She’s All That’s legacy and even surpasses it in some ways.
He’s All That doesn’t revolutionize the teen romantic comedy world, but it stays true to the flesh and bones of teen rom-coms and She’s All That. It’s a very silly movie at times, but aren’t most teen rom-coms? And isn't that why we love or loathe them? He’s All That may go on to be one of the most talked-about 2021 movies, which is why it’s the perfect time to stream it. Stream He’s All That on Netflix.
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