Old School
In trying to recapture some of that former school magic, three old college buddies decide to start their own off-campus fraternity.
Story
The premise to Old School sounds a bit cringe-worthy when you first hear it--visions of sexist frat house humor, wild parties, buxom babes and beer bongs dance through your head. OK, maybe there's a little of that going on in Old School, but the heart of the film is surprisingly more centered than your average balls-out comedy. A trio of twentysomething friends have found themselves at a crossroads in their lives. Mitch (Luke Wilson), a promising real estate lawyer, unfortunately catches his girlfriend (Juliette Lewis) in a compromising position. Frank (Will Ferrell), a lovable doof, marries the sweet Marissa (Perrey Reeves) before realizing he made a big mistake, and Beanie (Vince Vaughn), the owner of a successful chain of stereo stores, refuses to believe he is the only true family man of the three. When Mitch rents a house near their old alma mater, Beanie sees it as a chance to recapture some of that fun-filled college exuberance and turns the house into a fraternity, which accepts not just students but any guys out there who want to escape adulthood's travails. The film's antagonist comes in the form of an uptight university dean, Pritchard (Jeremy Piven), who bears an old grudge against our intrepid trio and does everything he can to shut the house down. But true brotherhood prevails.
Acting
Old School works far better than it should, thanks to the chemistry of the three leads. Each has his own particular brand of comedy and the combination keeps you rolling in the aisles. Providing physical comedy, Ferrell's Frank, a goofy college wild man tamed by matrimony, is wonderfully outrageous (but someone should tell him to keep his clothes on). Ferrell also shows a dramatic flair, especially when dealing with his troubled marriage. Who would have thought this Saturday Night Live alum could act? Vaughn shows his infinite skill at zingin' out quick-witted one-liners (as he does so well in Swingers). Yet, his smarmy Beanie also hints that he loves his life as a stable dad more than he cares to admit. Then there's the likable straight man, Mitch, a character the easygoing Wilson has perfected to a tee ever since his debut in Bottle Rocket opposite wacky brother Owen. Piven, who usually plays wild men in films such as PCU and Very Bad Things, gets to try on a different hat as Pritchard, the nerd who grew up to be the dean of the school--and it looks like he had fun.
Direction
Writer/director Todd Phillips obviously enjoyed his college years. His first studio-released film, the 2000 Road Trip, offered a raucous yet refreshing look at college life that didn't necessarily go for the gross-out humor at every turn (although some turns were certainly made, especially given star Tom Green). With Old School, Phillips has matured--a little. Thankfully, the film doesn't go for the joke for the joke's sake but remains rooted in how these three men are dealing with the pressures of adult responsibilities, coming up with their somewhat misguided remedy to those pressures. But it's still a comedy about aging frat boys. You know going in there's going to be a wild party or two, some contemptible drunken behavior, perhaps even a hazing scene where new recruits have cinder blocks tied to their nether regions. It happens. Phillips also feels the need to incorporate a clichéd romantic twist around Mitch and a girl he had a crush on in high school. A sweet gesture but not nearly as entertaining as watching three grown men slosh around in K-Y jelly in a female wrestling match.
Bottom Line
Old School offers the requisiste belly laughs mixed with a surprising smidgen of sincerity.