Released: January 9
Certificate: 15
Director: David Wain
Cast: Paul Rudd, Sean William Scott, Christopher Minzt-Plasse, Bobb’e J Thompson, Elizabeth Banks
Running Time: 98 mins
Walking in with low expectations is often the best way to see a film, and this film proved to be no exception. I came out grinning from ear to ear, trying to recall all those witty one-liners. Of course, after you read this review, your expectations won’t be low as I think this film will blast some much needed rays of light onto the doom and gloom of January.
The film tells the tale of two American slackers who find themselves in a roller-coaster of dilemmas. Danny (Paul Rudd, better known as Phoebe’s boyfriend from TV series Friends ) is a guy who’s generally angry at the world, because life isn’t going quite the way he wants it to (maybe he should come to Ireland for a trip? ). He works for the energy drinks company, Minatare, where he and his womanising friend Wheeler (played by the ‘born-for-this-kind-of-role’ Sean William-Scott ) go from school to school in a tricked out Minatare truck, promoting their drink. Wheeler loves his job as the Minatare mascot because it’s a brain-dead, do it in your sleep or hung over, kind of job. What’s not to like?
However, they run into a spot of trouble with the law and commit a serious driving offence, and consequently the mismatched duo get the choice of jail time, or community service in a ‘Big Brother’ programme mentoring two troubled kids. Rudd gets paired up with Augie (Christopher Mintz Plasse ), a computer games geek who lives in a world of a medieval role playing game. Wheeler is teamed up with Ronnie (Bobb’e J Thompson ), a kid who curses like a demented sailor, has the most bizarre sense of life, and comes out with the most outrageous statements. They get themselves in all sorts of trouble but, like a true slapstick, the film has a deep and meaningful moral at the end. Oh, and of course, how could I forget to mention that the ever-present love story is also in the mix.
Like all good comedies, the plot is simple and easy to follow allowing room for some seriously comical moments. This is Rudd’s first ‘real’ movie where he has a lead role and delivers a top class performance (why is he not a bigger star? ). William Scott, though he may not have the same improvisational abilities as Rudd, brings to the table his stereotypical Stifler type of humour, that we all know and love. Plasse’s performance is closely mirrored to his performance, as Mclovin from Superbad, and you’d have to wonder if he’s typecast as a geek for the rest of his career. And then there’s young Thompson, who virtually steals every scene with his perfect line deliveries, which is uncharacteristic for a kid of his age.
It’s full of characters that you’ll recognise from movies like Anchor Man, The 40 Year Old Virgin, and Superbad, and the humour runs along the same lines so if you like that style, you’ll truly like this. I say, gather a group of friends and go. Role Models slaps away the recession blues with a humorous grace, and sticks a marker down for the laugh out loud comedy to beat for 2009.
Rating: 8
