Old
School's Humor May Give You a New Outlook on Life
Old
School's Humor May Give You a New Outlook on Life
Anyone who has ever passed out on the front lawn of a college dormitory or
frat house, or walked by someone passed out on the front lawn of a college dorm
or frat house and laughed at them, is gonna laugh and laugh often watching Old
School. This comedy from Todd Phillips, the director and co-writer
of Road Trip, came at just the right time for me. I don't want to write
another woe-is-me opening paragraph to a review. Suffice to say, the Ted-Man
has had his troubles lately, and I needed to laugh in the worst way.
Old School delivered.
The film centers on three guys in their early 30s who yearn for the care-free
days of their misspent college youth before marriage, mortgages, and responsibility
took their smiles. Conservative attorney Mitch (Luke Wilson), the lone
single guy of the trio, has just broken up with his longtime girlfriend after
discovering her secret penchant for group sex. Beanie (Vince Vaughn)
is the most successful and sarcastic of the guys. Married to TV's Leah Remini
(King of Queens), Beanie owns a chain of Best Buy-like stores and takes
at least one of his kids with him wherever he goes. But the character who may
have long-term breakout success is Frank (Will Ferrell, who will be a
big-screen star after this film). A complete failure as a newlywed, the soft-spoken
Frank reverts back to his collegiate "Frank the Tank" persona when
Mitch buys a house near a college campus and Beanie decides to throw him a massive
party.
The bash is so wildly successful, the three guys decide to form their own fraternity
of college losers and misguided adults to rediscover the sense of joy they lost.The
result is absolutely hilarious, especially when a nerd they used to bully (Jeremy
Piven) vows to use his dean status at the local college to get their fraternity
charter revoked. I loved that this film didn't try and redeem its characters
and shove a morality lesson down my throat. And it passes my test for what it
takes to recommend a comedy. I laughed hard, often, and without fear of embarrassment
while watching it. The best comedies are the ones where I have to remove my
eyeglasses at least twice to wipe away a tear or two. I did that FOUR times
during Old School, a crazy combination that is equal parts Animal
House and Fight Club.
First rule of Fight Club? Don't talk about Fight Club ... er, unless you've
had a LOT of tequila.
Ferrell is the one I really want to talk about. Man, is this guy funny. And
fearless! A new, big-screen comedy star is born, folks. The guy is the Freudian
id unleashed. The first time booze hits his lips, watch him go! Frank is standing
there at that first campus party Beanie throws for Mitch. He is surrounded by
18- and 19-year-olds, looking all of his 35 years and telling them about what
his wife has in store for him the next day. Trips to Home Depot and Bed, Bath
& Beyond, some new tile for the bathroom, maybe a meal at Olive Garden.
Then, he spots the beer bong. It calls to him. Moments later, Frank the Tank
is streaking through the small college town stark naked screaming for "Revolution!"
Is this a comedy for only guys? I don't think so. The packed audience I saw
it with was half-female/half-male, and the ladies were laughing as hard as the
fellas. In fact, many were even pointing at their boyfriends or husbands during
various parts of the film as if to say, "Yeah, buddy. That's you!"
I liked the madcap style of Old School. The film mines laugh from smoking
clowns, tranquilizer darts, irresponsible driving, 90-year-old men wrestling,
and much more. Yes, there is gross-out humor (the wives take an oral sex class
that would have been better served as a DVD deleted scene). But there is also
office humor, slice-of-life humor, slapstick, and one-liners galore. Vaughn
finally shows some of the old "Swingers" swagger that made him such
a cool, iconic film presence back in the mid-'90s, and Wilson has some nice
moments opposite Ellen Pompeo as a former high-school crush stuck in
a bad relationship of her own.
Old School is a film that mixes in cameos by Snoop Dogg and James
Carville effortlessly, along with a soundtrack that includes everything
from Metallica's Master of Puppets to Duran Duran's Hungry
Like the Wolf to Eric B and Rakim's Paid in Full. I'm
not gonna lie to ya. The last couple of weeks have not been the best ones for
me personally. My boss and dear friend passed away. My home was buried in two
feet of snow. My back is just aching from the shoveling. I briefly lost my wallet
for an entire evening. Not to mention that war seems imminent, the economy still
stinks, and gas prices are crazy. Ferrell and his friends, though, taught me
the healin power of laughter. Feeling down or just in need of a good laugh?
Enroll in this "School."
Old School is rated R for sexual humor, language, and brief nudity.
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