Starring: Zac Efron, Leslie Mann, Thomas Lennon, Matthew Perry, Tyler Steelman, Allison Miller, Sterling Knight, Michelle Trachtenberg, and more…
Premise: Mike O’Donnell’s life is falling apart at the seams. He’s passed over for a promotion at work, his wife has kicked him out of the house and is pursuing a divorce, his kids don’t want to be around him. The only time he remembers being in control was high school. So he goes back and thinks of his glory days. A janitor at the school notices him and asks him if he had it to do all over again, would he? Not paying much attention to what he’s saying, he says yes. After trying to rescue the same old man at a bridge during a rain storm, Mike falls into a seeming vortex. When he gets home to his friend Ned’s house, he finds himself transformed back to 17.
Review: This movie looked like it would be an incredibly cute, feel good film and it delivered that and more. Zac Efron was adorable as the late 30 something man in a 17 year old body. The times when his adult brain and father tendencies shoot out to interfere with his 17 year old persona are hilarious. The comparisons between his high school life then and high school life now were way too fun. And the reactions of his children and soon to be ex-wife as he interacts with them are a total riot.
Yet what made this film so much more for me, was a totally unexpected side angle. While I was expecting the cuteness and feel good and life clashes, what I was not expecting was the fabulous use of Ned Gold, Mike’s best friend. Buddies since high school and possibly before, I’d seen the scenes where Ned, Mike’s geek friend, was forced to get involved to get him back into school. Ned’s house ROCKED! For all the Sci-Fi and gamin geeks out there, this man’s place was beyond awesome. Close to our geeky dream homes if we could ever afford such a thing. But there was more!
What I did not expect was the total awesomeness that followed Ned meeting the school principal and falling head over geek in love with her. Then all his hilarious attempts to woo the woman. But it all reached new heights of outrageous fun for me when he finally gets her to go out with him and we got the scene at the restaurant. I thought I was going to die! Lol. And the things which ensue after were total amounts of fun. (My inner geek was singing! Lol!)
So overall, this was an incredibly cute, “see what’s before your eyes and appreciate it” movie, with a side of mucho fun for geeks/gamers/Sci-Fi lovers everywhere. Definitely recommend it for a fun movie watching experience.
