Three kids--best buds Wade(Nate Hartley)and Ryan(Troy Gentile)and shrimpy,spaz-like Emmett(David Dorfman)--are united by a common anxiety in their freshman year in high school: the perpetual abuse of ruthless thugs Terry Filkins(Alex Frost)and his toady Ronnie(Josh Peck). Fed up with the abuse in short order,they seek the help of a bodyguard and after going through a number of candidates whose asking prices are more than these lads can pony up,they settle on a charismatic Army vet named Drillbit Taylor(Owen Wilson,charming as a seemingly oft-unscrubbed target of abuse,both verbal and physical)who can talk the talk of a tough guy/guardian/sensei but seems to be more intent on...well,something more.
That something more is mostly sponging money and swag from the kids' well-to-do families,which he helps pirate with the counseling of his fellow societal cast-offs(led by the always priceless Danny McBride). Drillbit,you see,is much more of a "homeless slacker" than "master warrior/guardian",and is in the midst of pulling off a fairly well-trailed con. All as the boys he's "taken under his wing" take to heart his lessons and simultaneously try to avoid their tormentors/get them back in the process.
Nothing really new or inherently interesting in and of itself(i.e. the 'high school is unfair',heroes as persecuted,bullies being heartless jack-offs,tough-guy to weakling budding relationships,etc.),and director Steven Brill,along with co-writers Seth Rogen and Kristopher Brown(I believe both also writers of the considerably better SuperBad)don't engineer anything exceptional as a whole product. The real attractions are Wilson,milking every ounce of his own distaff,bent charms and loser charisma,McBride as the less-honorable crony of Drillbit's,and the five principle teen players just mentioned. Engaging,sympathetic,tangible and none-too-much-over-the-top characters make this less-than-two hour exercise more than tolerable,even quite funny(if not exceptional or even really memorable).
Movies being increasingly more expensive(and that's even WITHOUT the 3-D glasses),it makes one like myself consider carefully which shows to try and plunk down any geld. I was initially kinda curious about this one but didn't act on it. Seeing it some time after it's gone to rentals doesn't change my verdict,but I can still feel good about giving this one a spin.
That something more is mostly sponging money and swag from the kids' well-to-do families,which he helps pirate with the counseling of his fellow societal cast-offs(led by the always priceless Danny McBride). Drillbit,you see,is much more of a "homeless slacker" than "master warrior/guardian",and is in the midst of pulling off a fairly well-trailed con. All as the boys he's "taken under his wing" take to heart his lessons and simultaneously try to avoid their tormentors/get them back in the process.
Nothing really new or inherently interesting in and of itself(i.e. the 'high school is unfair',heroes as persecuted,bullies being heartless jack-offs,tough-guy to weakling budding relationships,etc.),and director Steven Brill,along with co-writers Seth Rogen and Kristopher Brown(I believe both also writers of the considerably better SuperBad)don't engineer anything exceptional as a whole product. The real attractions are Wilson,milking every ounce of his own distaff,bent charms and loser charisma,McBride as the less-honorable crony of Drillbit's,and the five principle teen players just mentioned. Engaging,sympathetic,tangible and none-too-much-over-the-top characters make this less-than-two hour exercise more than tolerable,even quite funny(if not exceptional or even really memorable).
Movies being increasingly more expensive(and that's even WITHOUT the 3-D glasses),it makes one like myself consider carefully which shows to try and plunk down any geld. I was initially kinda curious about this one but didn't act on it. Seeing it some time after it's gone to rentals doesn't change my verdict,but I can still feel good about giving this one a spin.