'21 & OVER': Four Stars (Out of Five)
An 80s style youth party flick from the writers of 'THE HANGOVER' (Jon Lucas and Scott Moore)! Lucas and Moore wrote the film and also make their directorial debut. It tells the story of a straight-A student who agrees to go out drinking for his 21st birthday, the night before a big medical school interview his domineering father set up for him. It stars Skylar Astin (of 'PITCH PERFECT' fame), Miles Teller (of 'PROJECT X' fame) and Justin Chon (of 'TWILIGHT' fame). The movie has been compared to other similar teen sex/party films (like last year's 'PROJECT X') as well as the great 'HANGOVER'. I'd say while it doesn't match the greatest of all drunk party films ('THE HANGOVER') it does make a very nice and somewhat classic (in its own right) youth gone wild film all the same.
Chon plays Jeff Chang (who's full name is used at all times, even by his two best friends, which some say is racism), a straight-A college student who's been studying to be a doctor. His two best friends, Casey (Astin, who looks an awful lot like a younger Dane Cook) and Miller (Teller), who haven't seen Jeff in a while, decide to show up at his place on his 21st birthday to take him out partying. They are startled to find Jeff's father, Dr. Chang (Francois Chau), there. Dr. Chang informs the two boys that Jeff can not go out drinking with them at all because he has an important medical school meeting the next morning that he set up for him. After the doctor leaves Miller continues to harass Jeff into going out with them, all the same, until Jeff gives in and agrees to go out for one drink. One drink turns into several, Jeff becomes too drunk to walk or talk and the boys can't remember where he lives. So they spend the rest of the night trying to track down someone who does so they can get him home in time for his big interview.
The movie has a very similar formula and style to 'THE HANGOVER' and while it might not be as good as that classic film it is better than it's first sequel (and probably it's second). Director Todd Philips would have been much wiser to keep the writing team of the original 'HANGOVER' instead of replacing them with himself and others (which of course got them much weaker results). As this movie proves Lucas and Moore know how to keep the classic 'drunks gone wild for one night of total mayhem' formula going without ruining it or making it seem old. The acting is all more than adequate (There's also a beautiful and extremely likable girl in the film, named Sarah Wright) and Lucas and Moore actually make great party film directors as well. Fans of these types of movies definitely won't go wrong here. I saw it as party of a double feature (I created; at Regal's $5 movie night in Corvallis) with 'THE LAST EXORCISM PART II'. Seeing an 80s style teen sex/party flick with an 80s style B horror film was a great match up and while both were enjoyable (despite what the critics say) this was the better film of the two.
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFTKqX4Wyew
An 80s style youth party flick from the writers of 'THE HANGOVER' (Jon Lucas and Scott Moore)! Lucas and Moore wrote the film and also make their directorial debut. It tells the story of a straight-A student who agrees to go out drinking for his 21st birthday, the night before a big medical school interview his domineering father set up for him. It stars Skylar Astin (of 'PITCH PERFECT' fame), Miles Teller (of 'PROJECT X' fame) and Justin Chon (of 'TWILIGHT' fame). The movie has been compared to other similar teen sex/party films (like last year's 'PROJECT X') as well as the great 'HANGOVER'. I'd say while it doesn't match the greatest of all drunk party films ('THE HANGOVER') it does make a very nice and somewhat classic (in its own right) youth gone wild film all the same.
Chon plays Jeff Chang (who's full name is used at all times, even by his two best friends, which some say is racism), a straight-A college student who's been studying to be a doctor. His two best friends, Casey (Astin, who looks an awful lot like a younger Dane Cook) and Miller (Teller), who haven't seen Jeff in a while, decide to show up at his place on his 21st birthday to take him out partying. They are startled to find Jeff's father, Dr. Chang (Francois Chau), there. Dr. Chang informs the two boys that Jeff can not go out drinking with them at all because he has an important medical school meeting the next morning that he set up for him. After the doctor leaves Miller continues to harass Jeff into going out with them, all the same, until Jeff gives in and agrees to go out for one drink. One drink turns into several, Jeff becomes too drunk to walk or talk and the boys can't remember where he lives. So they spend the rest of the night trying to track down someone who does so they can get him home in time for his big interview.
The movie has a very similar formula and style to 'THE HANGOVER' and while it might not be as good as that classic film it is better than it's first sequel (and probably it's second). Director Todd Philips would have been much wiser to keep the writing team of the original 'HANGOVER' instead of replacing them with himself and others (which of course got them much weaker results). As this movie proves Lucas and Moore know how to keep the classic 'drunks gone wild for one night of total mayhem' formula going without ruining it or making it seem old. The acting is all more than adequate (There's also a beautiful and extremely likable girl in the film, named Sarah Wright) and Lucas and Moore actually make great party film directors as well. Fans of these types of movies definitely won't go wrong here. I saw it as party of a double feature (I created; at Regal's $5 movie night in Corvallis) with 'THE LAST EXORCISM PART II'. Seeing an 80s style teen sex/party flick with an 80s style B horror film was a great match up and while both were enjoyable (despite what the critics say) this was the better film of the two.
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFTKqX4Wyew