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Old School

Starring: Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn
Director: Todd Phillips
Genre: Comedy
Year: 2003
Rating: 3 / 5

More than two decades have passed since Animal House, but it is good to know that its spirit lives on. Old School is living proof of that, even if the results are less impressive and the film less memorable. The Todd Phillips offering is high on sight gags, sophomoric pranks, and low brow humor, but it is an entertaining ninety minutes. Stars Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell, and Vince Vaughn are game as aging hipsters, intent on living the carefree life they left behind ten years prior. Unfortunately for them, they all have jobs, significant others, and, in one case, kids. Nevertheless, the three dream a grand dream, with the half the film’s fun coming from watching how their glorious dream crashes and burns.

Mitch (Luke Wilson) is a hard-working lawyer who returns home early from a conference to find his wife engaged in an unusual sexual encounter with another naked couple. Devastated, Mitch finds himself single and hitting the bottle, right through his best friend Frank’s (Will Ferrell) wedding. Only some smooth talking from good buddy Beanie (Vince Vaughn) prevents Mitch from making a complete fool of himself. His friends slowly help Mitch put his life back together, beginning with a new home he has purchased right on the edge of a local college campus. Before he realizes what is going on, Mitch is being lauded at a hopping party given in his honor by Frank and Beanie, and his life is turned upside-down.

Initially reluctant to acknowledge what is happening to his life, Mitch soon begins to embrace his new digs and the accolades that come with his now-legendary status. It seems that the students have taken to calling him the Godfather, for he rules over a crew that is quickly anointed the university’s newest fraternity. The dean of the college (Jeremy Piven) has other ideas, as he is determined to use any means necessary to get these three screw-ups off of his campus. Good times cannot be thwarted so easily, so Mitch, Frank, and Beanie lead an effort to see their fraternity officially recognized and to see the dean get his comeuppance!

Old School works – in that small way in which it actually does work – because of its three leads. I actually bought into the camaraderie exhibited by these three, accepting that they are all good guys just looking to have fun. Will Ferrell (Saturday Night Live) gets all the showier scenes, even though I have always preferred him in his more understated television skits. Vince Vaughn (Swingers) is especially goofy as the grown-up kid with a trove of responsibilities and not a care in the world. The film definitely has its moments, and I find that I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. Sometimes, light-hearted fare like Old School is just the ticket to shake those movie doldrums.

Cast:

Certification: Rated R for nudity and language.
Running Time: 90 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
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