Role Models Review

"Role Models" reviews

Movie

Role Models

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2008-11-21 22:19:18

Rating

3.5/5

Provider

CinemaSource

Review

Who needs role models when you can laugh your ass off with Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott pretending to BE Role Models?

Story

Meet Wheeler (Scott ) and Danny (Rudd) -- two salesmen, who get to hawk a blue sugary caffeine-filled energy drink called Minotaur. Wheeler is a swingin', KISS-lovin' single guy who loves his job playing THE Minotaur, while depressed Danny has settled into a nice mid-life crisis, loathing just about anything and everyone. These two are just destined to become role models. And so after some very bad circumstances, Wheeler and Danny do just that, forced into 150 community service hours at a mentorship program. It's either play big brother to a couple of kids or go to jail. Danny gets assigned to Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), a 16-year-old obsessed with Dungeons and Dragons medieval role play, while Wheeler gets a 10-year-old, foul-mouthed troublemaker named Ronnie (Bobb'e J Thompson). After one day, jail isn't looking half-bad.

Acting

For a premise that sounds a bit shaky, the cast of Role Models simply sell it. Thanks to the likes of Anchorman and 40 Year-Old Virgin, Paul Rudd has found his niche as the go-to guy for deadpan humor. Seann William Scott , too, seems more mature this time, finally shedding that American Pie smug arrogance he's had to live with for so many years. Virgin's Jane Lynch is hysterical as the head of the mentorship program Sturdy Wings, an ex-addict who takes no crap. Elizabeth Banks (she's in everything lately) also does a nice job as Danny's girlfriend who has had it with his behavior. And the kids add to the flavor: Mintz-Plasse, aka McLovin' from Superbad, gets to try something different as the geeky Lord of the Rings wannabe, while newcomer Thompson plays the smartass kid who curses with a certain panache.

Direction

Can you believe producer/writer/director Judd Apatow had nothing to do with Role Models? It seems to have many of his signature touches, including a pretty hard R rating for a movie with kids in it. But actually, Role Models comes from the minds of ex-The State members David Wain and Ken Marino, along with Paul Rudd and a few other writers. And for once, a long list of writers doesn't spell trouble for the film; it seems to have only enhanced the comedy. The best part of Role Models has to be the medieval role-playing festival, where all known D&D and LOTR enthusiasts come out in droves, dressed in full gear, ready to wage battle and clash rubber swords for their made-up countries' supreme dominance. It really happens, folks, and to have front-row seats to this world is quite a comedic treat.

Bottom Line

Hollywood.com rated this film 3 1/2 stars.

Movie

Role Models

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2009-01-12 14:59:51

Provider

MRIB

Review

Danny and Wheeler (Paul Rudd and Sean William Scott) are having a bad day. During their day job, as travelling salesmen for an energy drink, Danny's wrecks a school's property trying to stop their car being towed.

Faced with an easy choice of jail time or the seemingly cushy number of mentoring two kids at the Sturdy Wings Institute, things look up. However, the kids aren't quite what they seem, making them wish they had chosen the slammer instead.

Role Models, which is co-written by Rudd, is a solid comedy that relies heavily on the admittedly high calibre charm of the two leads and young Christopher Mintze-Plasse (Superbad's McLovin dude) - who impresses again as a nerd obsessed with medieval role playing (eek!).

However, it's not just the males who take all the acting plaudits. Comedy veteran Jane Lynch (The 40 Year Old Virgin) is a stand out performance as the eccentric and tough-love director of Sturdy Wings.

It's Rudd who captures your attention most though - easily vindicating the decision to finally have the actor as a lead instead of his usual stand out supporting roles. (Now, if only the same thing can happen to Jason Bateman)

Role Models peddles the usual 'be who you want to be' message, but it's done so with tongue firmly placed in cheek! William Scott's story thread (looking after potty mouthed newcomer Bobb'e J. Thompson) lacks the wit and warmth that characterises Rudd and Plasse's parry and thrust(!), but overall this is pleasing comedy with a few more subtleties than the Ferrell/Apatow engine's have. And it's rousing finale, that will you leave you with a helplessly goofy smile on your face.

They may not be perfect, but they are good role models and fleeting good company.

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