21 And Over - 20th January 2015

After a great deal of debate, the film being retrieved from the Tuesday Night is Film Night archive this week is;

21 And Over

Here with have a comedy written and directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, who just happen to be the screenwriters on The Hangover series of films, so it comes as no surprise that 21 And Over is in very much the same vein. In fact one synopsis states;
"The night before the medical school interview that will determine his entire future, a promising college student is dragged out by his two oldest friends to celebrate his 21st birthday. But as one beer leads inevitably to another, the evening spirals into a grand misadventure of mayhem and debauchery that will have far-reaching effects for the whole trio".

The three friends are; Miller, Casey and Jeff Chang. Miller has dropped out of college. Casey is doing well and looking to go into business and Jeff Chang is being dragged out for a 21st birthday surprise, on the eve of his medical school interview, much to the chagrin of his very controlling father.

Miller is played by Miles Teller. Jeff Chang is played by Justin Chon, who has appeared in the Twilight films. Casey is played by Skylar Astin who was in a recent TNiFN film Pitch Perfect. These are the three main characters, along with a love interest for Casey in the form of Nicole (Sarah Wright). The film follows the three friends as they go out for one drink, to celebrate Jeff Chang's birthday, which very quickly spirals into something a lot grander. Based in and around a college campus with the obligatory sororities and fraternities, it is very much a college version of The Hangover, as Casey and Miller attempt to return the very wasted Jeff Chang to his apartment in time for his father to deliver him into his medical interview.

In all fairness, the synopsis and the brief description above does not bode well for a good film. It's been done before, it's just another one in the long line of films of the same ilk. And yes, twenty minutes in and we were thinking; "what on earth have we let ourselves in for!" The first third of this 93 minute film did drag on a bit and the antics and comedic scenes were few and far between. It did however perk up in the middle third with some good laughs, as we see Miller and Casey going through hell and high water to get Jeff Chang sobered up and returned safely. However, it still didn't lift enough to be any better than the other films in the same genre.

But then, in a strange juxtaposition, the film turned direction and although Jeff Chang was still as high as a kite, the storyline sobered and became more of a buddy movie, as Miller and Casey shared some home truths and also discovered a darker side to Jeff Chang and his recent past, that they were unaware of, making them even more desperate to help their best friend get to the interview on time.

Just as a side note, Jeff Chang was always referred to as Jeff Chang, never Jeff or Chang, but Jeff Chang. Hence the constant repetition of Jeff Chang in the previous few paragraphs, but we digress.

So with the facts falling into place and the antics trailing off, the film rolls on to its inevitable, or so you would think, conclusion. Although things do not necessarily end up as you first think. Regardless of that, the ending is the best part of the film. The beginning was dire and almost a struggle to get through. This was probably due to the fact that it was trying too hard to be shocking, but just spouting constant expletives, does not a funny film make.

The middle was bearable with some good laughs, but nothing you haven't seen before if you've ever seen American Pie or The Hangover. So all in all a fairly average film, certainly not the best in this genre, but enjoyable nevertheless.

Loathed as we are to quote the sentiments of another film review site but Rotten Tomatoes probably puts it best when it states; "Though it strives to mimic The Hangover, 21 and Over is too predictable, too unabashedly profane, and too inconsistently funny to carry the torch". 

If only we could write short, succinct and knowledgeable reviews such as that! "Oh but you do" we hear you cry. Gosh! You're too kind. Bless you kind reader, bless you.

Enough frivolity, onto to the critically acclaimed and most imperative part of this esteemed blog, the summation of the panels reckoning, conferred in the form of a percentage.

TNiFN Rating 71%

IMDB Link