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 Write
this down...
If you're looking for an outrageous comedy to take your mind off
your problems and make you laugh 'til it hurts, then National
Lampoon's Van Wilder is the movie for you. Not only does the
charming, good-natured teen romp actually top the original American
Pie in terms of tasteless humor and gut-busting hilarity, but
it also gives a much-needed facelift to the aging National Lampoon
franchise (the once-reliable brand name behind cinematic classics
like Animal House and the Vacation movies).
Van Wilder (Ryan Reynolds) may be about to begin his seventh year
at Coolidge College, but that doesn't mean he has plans to graduate
anytime soon. After all, if you love a place so much, why leave?
In fact, he's so hell-bent on staying in school, that when his rich
father (Tim Matheson) cuts him off, he turns his party-throwing
skills into a business to pay his tuition. Wilder meets his match
in the form of Gwen Pearson (Tara Reid), a super-hot journalism
major who's out to expose the campus celebrity for the slacker that
he is. When the ultra-cool Wilder finds the sexy reporter too hot
to handle, he winds up falling in love and actually thinks about
leaving his college days behind for good.
Though it's an obvious blend of Ferris Bueller's Day Off
and Animal House (with a little bit of Fast Times at Ridgemont
High thrown in for good measure), Van Wilder has so much
heart and is so consistently funny, that it's easy to overlook its
flaws. It falls a little short when it comes to actually telling
a story, but considering that it has nothing on its syllabus except
showing moviegoers a good time, it passes with flying colors. It
also pushes the boundaries of tasteless humor to the point where
even the kings of gross-out comedy--the Farrelly brothers--would
be green with vomit...er, envy.
The ultimate success of the film lies in the very capable hands
of Ryan Reynolds. Formerly of TV's short-lived Two Guys and a
Girl, Reynolds is so confident in his first lead film role,
you'd swear he was--dare I say it--born to be Wilder. He may be
channeling Matthew Broderick's carefree, fun-loving slacker from
Ferris Bueller's Day Off, but he makes the role his own,
and it's hard not to be won over by his irresistible, star-making
performance (and for what it's worth, he bares more than just a
passing resemblance to actor Jason Lee).
As for the supporting players, American Pie's Tara Reid may
be covering familiar teen comedy territory, but her sex-kitten appeal
fits her character like a glove. Daniel Cosgrove seems to relish
playing the part of Reid's self-absorbed, anal-retentive frat-boyfriend
(even if it means being the brunt of some truly disgusting jokes),
and Kal Penn is charming enough as Reynold's naive personal assistant
who's out to experience what college life is all about.
The filmmakers tip their hats to teen comedies of the past by sprinkling
Van Wilder with some of their famous supporting players--including
Curtis Armstrong (Better Off Dead, Revenge of the Nerds),
Paul Gleason (The Breakfast Club), and Tim Matheson (Animal
House). Though some of the more outrageous sight gags are blatantly
lifted from other movies (particularly American Pie, Dumb and
Dumber, and to a lesser extent, The Hollywood Knights),
they're still pretty darn hilarious given the context in which they
are used.
Be warned: Van Wilder is not for everyone--especially if
you're not a big fan of flatulence jokes and projectile vomit sight
gags. Then again, the film knows its audience, and if you're already
paying for higher education anyway, then why not pay a little more
and learn something new from Van Wilder? After all, with advice
like "Don't take life too seriously--you'll never get out alive,"
you can't go wrong.
OK, stop writing...and go see this "wilder" and crazy movie!
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