Old School

Starring: Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, Jeremy Piven, Juliette Lewis, Craig Kilborn, Snoop Dogg (cameo), Andy Dick (cameo), Seann William Scott (cameo)
Directed by: Todd Phillips
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
2003

Times Seen:
Tim: 3


Summary: Old School features three middle-aged best friends (Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn), who in an attempt to relive their college glory days, start up a fraternity that doesn't concern itself with academics or community service, but purely on partying and having fun.

Review:

Tim: From the outset, expect stupid comedy from Old School. The jokes are not the most clever or intelligent, but from time to time, dumb comedies are exactly what we need to brighten the day. Unfortunately, the film's jokes are mostly hit-miss, and they miss as much as they hit. However, don't be fooled, there are some very funny moments. The cinder-block accident and the tranquilizer dart in the jugular are particular highlights. This is a movie that gets funnier each time you see it.

Old School does have a very decent cast. Luke Wilson is excellent as always, and Vince Vaughn gives a surprisingly great performance. This is the first film in which I actually liked a character he played. Will Ferrell got a good deal of attention regarding this film because it was his first big one after ending his stint on Saturday Night Live. At various points in the film, he is quite funny, but others, he is downright annoying (and seeing him run naked down the street is not funny in any setting whatsoever. Actually, it is quite disturbing).

For anyone with the desire to relive their college glory days, Old School may help you do that, but ultimately, the jokes get old fast, and the movie, although not without its bright spots, finally is its own worst enemy. If you don't like the film, I recommend watching it again anyway- paying close attention to some pretty good moments (like Luke Wilson in the taxi cab in the beginning of the film). By the way, I watched the unrated version, so that's the one I have reviewed here.

In the end, Old School is mostly a film for college students. Those too young or too old to remember those days won't like it at all. But, for us younger viewers, the film has more to offer than you might first think.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 6



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Made, Swingers, Night at the Roxbury, Road Trip, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy