Synopsis:
Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott star in Role
Models as Danny and Wheeler, two salesmen who
trash a company truck on an energy drink-fueled
bender. Upon their arrest, the court gives them
a choice: do hard time or spend 150 hours with a
mentorship program. After one day with the kids,
however, jail doesn't look half bad. Once the
center's ex-con director (Jane Lynch) gives them
an ultimatum, Danny and Wheeler are forced to
tailor their brand of immature wisdom to their
charges, Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) and
Ronnie (Bobb'e J. Thompson). And if they can
just make it through probation without getting
thrown in jail, the world's worst role models
will prove that, sometimes, it takes a village
idiot to raise a child.
The Freak's
Rating: A- : Sometimes Judd Apatow's name is
attached to projects on whom he is only an
executive producer. For those unfamiliar
with how Hollywood works as far as executive
producers go, this is the scenario.
Filmmakers produce a film, in this case a comedy
with a style similar to that of a reputable
filmmaker such as Apatow. After the
filming of the movie, usually when different
edited versions of the film are being shown to
studio heads and distributors for approval, they
bring in this emulated director for a viewing.
As an executive producer, the director can make
minor changes to the film such as cutting
certain scenes or characters. He may also
provide input as far as pacing that can be
modified in the editing process. He
then cashes his executive producer check and
watches his name be thrust in front of the film.
Suddenly the film has a "Judd Apatow presents"
or "from the guy who brought you Superbad" above
its title. Executive production is a
horrible thing in Hollywood and gives the wrong
idea to the uneducated filmgoer, ultimately
causing praise or hatred of certain production
staffs based purely on a credit and a screening.
Apatow has nothing to do with Role
Models...nothing. He isn't an executive
producer or even a consultant on the film.
The only association is the genre. Apatow
has redefined the comedic genre to a point where
much of the drudge out there is the same old
same old. Paul Rudd, who has cast his
shadow over a number of Apatow features stars as
Danny, a man irritated by all aspects of his
life, desiring change but not knowing what to do
to achieve it. Contrasting Danny is
Wheeler (Sean William Scott). Wheeler
embraces his mediocrity in life, not aspiring
for much more than a weekend conquest with the
latest female he can get his hands on.
Role Models is written quite well, in a time
where you really need something new to set
yourself apart in the genre. There are
some overwritten lines and some overacting
scattered, but it is easily forgiven with the
male leads. One forgets how virtually
forgettable the American Pie series would have
been without Scott's Stiffler. Rudd has
quietly become one of the best comedic actors of
his generation with a solid performance in
nearly every film he takes a part in.
Some repetition is here as it would be with any
comedy, but there is much original material and
many situations not found in every comedy out
there. I was laughing out loud from the
opening credits to the final credits rolled.
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