The Utopian Society (2003)

Newcomers Kelvin Yu, Mat Hostetler, Kristen Ariza, Austin Nichols, Sam Doumit, and Malin Akerman co-star in the ensemble teen comedy The Utopian Society, directed by John P. Aguirre. Echoing The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo’s Fire, Utopian hones in on a group of six coeds at Cal-State Fullerton, brought together under the rubric of a sociological experiment. Inspired by Thomas More’s allegory Utopia, these constantly bickering students are instructed to find a way to get along, at any cost, and thus create their own “contemporary utopia.” Meet Ken (Yu), the stereotypically overworked Asian student, Justin Mathers (Nichols), a fraternity (and sports) obsessed jock; Nera (Doumit), a New Ager-cum-hippie; sorority girl and prima donna Tanci (Akerman); African-American female basketball player Aaliyah (Ariza); and über-independent Caleb (Hostetler), who pair off into romantic couplings, reveal intimate sides of themselves, and undergo significant changes as they interact with one another.