21 & Over (2013)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Theatrical Release: March 1, 2013
Blu Ray Release: June 18, 2013
Directors: Jon Lucas and Scott Moore
R
Review by James Klein
Directors Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, the two guys who wrote the extremely funny and successful The Hangover, followed up with their directorial debut with 21 & Over. Wow... Really? What the hell happened? Did they run out of gas or something? 21 & Over may be the most unfunny and annoying film I have seen in a long time. Nails to a chalkboard, my friends. For 93 minutes I sat in front of my TV just staring at the set with a frown, wondering what happened to Lucas and Moore's talent or if they ever had any to begin with. Maybe they were one hit wonders?
The movie starts off with the introduction to one of the most irritating characters in any comedy, simply called Miller. Miller is played by Miles Teller who saw one too many Vince Vaughn comedies as all he does is imitate Vaughn. His expressions, mannerisms, everything. The character is suppose to be funny, lovable and a guy we are suppose to like but all I wanted was to see this guy get brutally murdered within ten minutes of the film. The character is such an asshole and never once does or says anything funny. When he meets up with his friend Casey (Skylar Astin) its amazing that Casey doesn't just smash him in his face and leave. Casey is the Bud Abbott to Miller's Lou Costello, the voice of reason, the straight guy. So Casey isn't given much to do and just reacts to Miller's humorless jokes and antics.
The two young men are meeting up to take their friend Jeff Chang (Justin Chon) out for his 21st birthday. Jeff Chang lives at a college campus that the two young friends have never visited. When Jeff tells these two idiots that he can't go out because his strict father is in town and he must get up early for a medical school interview, Miller takes it upon himself to be the good friend that he is by belittling him and forcing him to go out and get plastered (why couldn't they take him out for his birthday the next day?) Jeff Chang, although being smart, just goes along with Miller and these two 'friends" almost kill Jeff Chang with alcohol poisoning with Jeff becoming completely intoxicated, vomiting everywhere and not even able to talk. Sounds hilarious huh? But get this: these two pals have no idea where his room is at as they have wondered too far away from campus. How can they get him back? Instead of asking for directions or calling someone, these two schmucks journey around town and get themselves into so many unfunny situations like bullfighting, drinking contests, and wondering in the wrong dorm room while Casey finds romance with a pretty young girl who is just as foul mouthed and unfunny as all the other characters in this film. The actress, Sarah Wright, looks almost embarrassed when she has to talk about masturbating at one point in the film and is just nothing more than eye candy.
21 & Over is just not funny at all and all of the situations these two friends get themselves into could easily be prevented. Why Casey even follows Miller in these awful situations makes no sense at all. What's even more insulting is that the film shifts tone during the third act when these two guys figure out Jeff Chang doesn't want to be a doctor and its up to them to tell his father that he wants to do something else in life. When they confront his dad at the end may be the funniest moment in the film in my opinion, even though its played completely serious. It ends with the dad getting punched in the face and the bully suddenly wanting to be friends with these three assholes. With the way the job market is nowadays, the film is promoting to just "follow your dreams" and do whatever you want to do in life. So not only is 21 & Over not funny and horribly written, its completely irresponsible.
I had to force myself to watch the special features on this blu ray just for you folks. There is a blooper reel that is mostly clips from the film itself and a few flubs thrown in. There is a making of featurette as well which had me amazed at these actors and film makers were thinking they are making the next Animal House or The Hangover. Sure the picture looks great and the sound is fine but that's expected on most new movies nowadays. Great, I get to watch utter crap in beautiful HD. Lucky me.
If I can take anything away from 21 & Over, its that I am happy I don't have friends like Miller, Casey and Jeff Chang in my life and I was not foolish enough to just throw my life away when I turned 21.
[Rating: 1]
Theatrical Release: March 1, 2013
Blu Ray Release: June 18, 2013
Directors: Jon Lucas and Scott Moore
R
Review by James Klein
Directors Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, the two guys who wrote the extremely funny and successful The Hangover, followed up with their directorial debut with 21 & Over. Wow... Really? What the hell happened? Did they run out of gas or something? 21 & Over may be the most unfunny and annoying film I have seen in a long time. Nails to a chalkboard, my friends. For 93 minutes I sat in front of my TV just staring at the set with a frown, wondering what happened to Lucas and Moore's talent or if they ever had any to begin with. Maybe they were one hit wonders?
The movie starts off with the introduction to one of the most irritating characters in any comedy, simply called Miller. Miller is played by Miles Teller who saw one too many Vince Vaughn comedies as all he does is imitate Vaughn. His expressions, mannerisms, everything. The character is suppose to be funny, lovable and a guy we are suppose to like but all I wanted was to see this guy get brutally murdered within ten minutes of the film. The character is such an asshole and never once does or says anything funny. When he meets up with his friend Casey (Skylar Astin) its amazing that Casey doesn't just smash him in his face and leave. Casey is the Bud Abbott to Miller's Lou Costello, the voice of reason, the straight guy. So Casey isn't given much to do and just reacts to Miller's humorless jokes and antics.
The two young men are meeting up to take their friend Jeff Chang (Justin Chon) out for his 21st birthday. Jeff Chang lives at a college campus that the two young friends have never visited. When Jeff tells these two idiots that he can't go out because his strict father is in town and he must get up early for a medical school interview, Miller takes it upon himself to be the good friend that he is by belittling him and forcing him to go out and get plastered (why couldn't they take him out for his birthday the next day?) Jeff Chang, although being smart, just goes along with Miller and these two 'friends" almost kill Jeff Chang with alcohol poisoning with Jeff becoming completely intoxicated, vomiting everywhere and not even able to talk. Sounds hilarious huh? But get this: these two pals have no idea where his room is at as they have wondered too far away from campus. How can they get him back? Instead of asking for directions or calling someone, these two schmucks journey around town and get themselves into so many unfunny situations like bullfighting, drinking contests, and wondering in the wrong dorm room while Casey finds romance with a pretty young girl who is just as foul mouthed and unfunny as all the other characters in this film. The actress, Sarah Wright, looks almost embarrassed when she has to talk about masturbating at one point in the film and is just nothing more than eye candy.
21 & Over is just not funny at all and all of the situations these two friends get themselves into could easily be prevented. Why Casey even follows Miller in these awful situations makes no sense at all. What's even more insulting is that the film shifts tone during the third act when these two guys figure out Jeff Chang doesn't want to be a doctor and its up to them to tell his father that he wants to do something else in life. When they confront his dad at the end may be the funniest moment in the film in my opinion, even though its played completely serious. It ends with the dad getting punched in the face and the bully suddenly wanting to be friends with these three assholes. With the way the job market is nowadays, the film is promoting to just "follow your dreams" and do whatever you want to do in life. So not only is 21 & Over not funny and horribly written, its completely irresponsible.
I had to force myself to watch the special features on this blu ray just for you folks. There is a blooper reel that is mostly clips from the film itself and a few flubs thrown in. There is a making of featurette as well which had me amazed at these actors and film makers were thinking they are making the next Animal House or The Hangover. Sure the picture looks great and the sound is fine but that's expected on most new movies nowadays. Great, I get to watch utter crap in beautiful HD. Lucky me.
If I can take anything away from 21 & Over, its that I am happy I don't have friends like Miller, Casey and Jeff Chang in my life and I was not foolish enough to just throw my life away when I turned 21.
[Rating: 1]
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