Wheeler: [sits down] What up, Ronnie?
Ronnie: I don’t wanna take my pants off!
Wheeler: [stunned] What?
“What?” is right! This movie has kids in it and it deals primarily with kids, but it ain’t no Sesame Street, I’ll tell you that much. Actually, one of the kid roles, Ronnie Shields, played by Bobb’e J. Thompson, contributes to the R rating of this flick mainly by his dialogue. He pretty much steals the screen whenever he is on it, and he is arguably the funniest performer out of the entire cast beating out laugh masters Seann William Scott and Paul Rudd. Still, they are as good as you would expect as the two co-workers, Wheeler and Danny, who are thrust into spending “quality time” with a couple of youngsters in order to satisfy a court order. What they didn’t know is how difficult that would be when presented with two extra special youngsters. Having to do something out of obligation is always a lot less appealing than when you choose to do something. So even though they lack the desire and enthusiasm, they inevitably learn just how lacking they are as role models. Everyone does some growing up and puts their lives in better perspective. In this case you might wonder, who really were the role models, the older guys or the kids themselves.
This movie was really funny and a lot of fun to watch. However, an R rated movie that is all about relationships with children is a bit much. It could have been a little more clever and witty considering the subject matter, and tamed down to a PG-13. But then again, the funniest moments are generated by the outrageous, R rated type humor which is amplified by the unexpected sources, such as Ronnie. It’s a tough call. Another source of pleasantly surprising humor comes from someone who I believe to be underrated. Jane Lynch has played some unforgettable roles with unforgettable lines and this movie adds to that collection. She is sharp as can be with incredible line delivery in the role of Gayle Sweeny, the director of the mentorship program. On the other hand, Christopher Mintz-Plasse as the kid paired up with Danny, Augie, is good but not quite as memorable as in his infamous “McLovin” role in Superbad. Elizabeth Banks, who has been pretty busy lately, doesn’t really contribute a whole lot to this picture which disappointed me a tad. She plays Danny’s girlfriend and lawyer.
The script, humor, and one-liners in this movie are top shelf or least the next shelf down. It helps that this comedy does have something of a story to it to keep you going in between the humorous moments. Director and Co-writer David Wain doesn’t have a huge cinematic resume so kudos to him for a job well done with this project. Of course when you have a talented cast to work with, some of the pressure is alleviated.
Review By Cine Marcos
Tags: role models
