? Rejected by his
college of choice, and apparently unaware of the existence of community
colleges, a seemingly dull-witted boy (Justin Long, of Apple computer
commercial semi-fame) displays the sort of drive he ought to have used to
attain good grades. That is, he invents a phony college so he doesn’t have to
disappoint his parents.
+ There’s a certain
amount of comic potential to the absurd premise, and indeed the first 20
minutes or so have some laughs, particularly the clashes between our hero and
his smarty-pants little sister.
- Did I say that the
premise was dumb? Not that this necessarily prevents a movie from being funny,
but its execution defies credulity at every turn. Requiring the parents to be
nearly brain-dead is the least of it. Worse is when the movie starts to take
itself seriously. In essence, the thesis it peddles is that there are no lousy
students, only a rigid educational system that stifles achievement by doing
things like having, you know, requirements. Incidentally, the movie combines
some of the writing talent behind both the crappy Olsen twins vehicle New
York Minute and the weak sequel Herbie Fully Loaded.
= *3/4 Rejected.
viewed at PFS screening
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