Old School Movie Review, Film Still and Poster

U.S. 2002
Director: Todd Phillips
Cast: Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, Jeremy Piven, Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Cranshaw, Jerod Mixon
Release Date: February 21st 2003
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour 31 minutes 43 seconds

Review of the Movie

Old School film still 1


OLD SCHOOL
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Something with a word school in a movie sometimes hint that it will be a gross out comedy filled with raunchy teens who think only of dirty stuff. So we might expect it to be filled with young people, but Old School gives us something different. By different I mean, this movie literally headlined by "old" people compared to teenagers. Who are they? Now, don't worry just by reading the names, it's safe to deem it funny. Will Ferrell, Luke Wilson and Vince Vaughn plus Seann William Scott, Jeremy Piven and the German beauty Elisha Cuthbert, and Snoop Dogg. If you're still caught up with the wild charm of raucous comedy as American Pie or a die hard fan of any National Lampoon's entry, look nowhere, Old School is here.

Old School opens with a scene where Mitch Martin finds his girlfriend at home, Heidi (Juliette Lewis) is cheating on him with both a girl and a guy. Mitch (Luke Wilson) then later moves to his new house which is situated exactly inside the campus neighbourhood. Beanie (Vince Vaughn) then convinces Mitch and Frank (Will Ferrell) to build a new fraternity, mainly to score as many girls as possible and to relive the college fun. The three old (thirty something) guys finally begins to pick college students as well as other "old" guys (who don't even study in the Harrison University and one of them is 89-year old) who pledge to enter their fraternity. Soon their new brotherhood is the most popular one in the Uni, which is known for always throwing the most hip parties, of course by inviting Snoop Dogg to perform in their opening party. However, a dean named Pritchard (Jeremy Piven) holds a personal grudge against them since he used to be bullied by Beanie and his friend back then.

Dean Pritchard will not stop at anything to close down the fraternity, and when the fun ends and the sorrow begins, this is when their true brotherhood is being tested. Could this fraternity survive and still exist? Will this new activity affects Mitch, Beanie and Frank's family life?

This college comedy film has so many jokes, either slapsticks or smart quips that I will be exhausted to list it. Besides, you have to watch it to enjoy it. But let me get you a heads up for what Old School teaches us. We got streaking-wannabe (oh no, not that vulgar as in the American Pie's spin-off, but a drop dead wacky one), we got chubby boy doing a summersault, we got various assorted people from different age and background being hazed and pledged, an exclusive carrot lesson in satisfying husband, "old school" cheerleading and many more, which by the way, it already makes me smile just by writing it.

What is so great about Old School is that it's different with other comedy movies that relies heavily on the jokes which make them seem like big screen version of crammed sketches, which in other words, soulless. Old School devotes enough minutes to build characters. We get to know who Mitch Martin is and why we root for him, who Frank Ricard is and why he is such a desperate nutjob, and why Bernard Campbell is so eager in making a new fraternity. Thus makes the audience's emotion unconsciously attached to the characters being portrayed.

And who are behind those wacky characters? None other than the three members of Frat Pack. Luke Wilson is perfect as the main protagonist and the victim of marriage life, he is a likable and sympathetic guy that we won't have any difficulty to believe why he is so charismatic and chosen to be the leader. Vince Vaughn with his facial expression is great to portray the naughty "old" man who is so restless with his life and always agitates his friends and in the same time being a bit irresponsible for his actions. And last but not least, Will Ferrell who sings, runs, fights and shot by a mule-tranquilizer is the strongest character in this great comedy movie. They don't overdo anything, and I can't imagine better actors to portray them. There is definitely chemistry among them.

Now, wait...Where is the beauties? Oh there is plenty of that, although as hot as the lead females in this movie may appear to you, you won't get any naughty stuff from them, still the extras are on hands to make sure the viewers' eyes are locked onto the screen. Besides, Ellen Pompeo, Perrey Reeves, Juliette Lewis, Leah Remini and Elisha Cuthbert are attractive enough without taking their clothes off.

If you are not laughing out loud while watching this movie, then I'm sorry, but perhaps you really need to check your funny bones, especially in the failed streaking scene and its "stunned-wife" aftermath. Old School is absolutely a masterpiece in the comedy movie realm, especially involving college life. And I'm sure many years to come, people will seek this to add to their comedy movie collection as a precious item from the early millennium.