21 & Over Review

Rated R (Crude and Sexual Content, Pervasive Language, Some Graphic Nudity, Drugs and Drinking)

Running Time: 1 Hour & 33 Minutes

Cast-

Justin Chon-Jeffrey Chang

Skylar Astin-Casey

Miles Teller-Miller

Sarah Wright-Nicole

Jonathan Keltz-Randy

Dustin Ybarra-PJ Bril

Samantha Futerman-Sally Huang

Daniel Booko-Julian

Russell Mercado-Jayden

Josie Loren-Pledge Aguilar

Christiann Castellanos-Pledge Gomez

François Chau-Dr. Chang

Russell Hodgkinson-The Chief

Directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore

We have a crazy Asian over here!

Note: Screened on Wednesday, February 6, 2013, at AMC Loews Lincoln Square 13.

Coming-of-age films are a dime a dozen these days, with the latest example being last year's critically acclaimed "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" but surprisingly, there's never been one that explores what's it like to turn 21—probably because it's not as big a deal as turning 18 (the only benefit is that you're legally allowed to consume alcohol). That's all about to change with "21 and Over," a raunchy R-rated comedy from first-time directors Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. You may recall that Lucas and Moore wrote the script for "The Hangover," one of 2009's surprise hits, grossing over $467 million worldwide on a cheap $35 million production budget. Its success sparked a new wave of R-rated comedies, albeit to mixed results. However, the rest of Lucas and Moore's filmography leaves much to be desired; not only did 2011's "The Change-Up" receive negative reviews from critics (26% on Rotten Tomatoes) but it also bombed at the domestic box office with only $37 million. "21 and Over" never reaches the heights of "The Hangover" as it's neither as original nor as well-executed but the film offers enough outrageous laughs to put it above the cookie-cutter fare that Hollywood tends to release. 

Former high school friends Casey (Skylar Astin) and Miller (Miles Teller) are reuniting with their best friend Jeffrey Chang (Justin Chon) in order to celebrate his twenty-first birthday. Despite having an important medical school interview in the morning and an overbearing father (François Chau) who would 'honor kill' him if he screws up, Jeffrey agrees to have a quick beer at Miller's insistence. Not surprisingly, Jeffrey ends up getting drunk and starts hitting all the bars around campus. Hours later, Casey and Miller find their friend passed out and completely incoherent. The two try to get Jeffrey home in time for his interview but there's only one problem: they don't know where he lives! What started off with an innocent drink soon turns into a night of humiliation and utter debauchery for these three friends. 

R-rated comedies tend to push the envelope and I was afraid that "21 and Over" would amount to nothing more than a barrage of 'jokes' mocking Asians. The beginning of the film seems to indicate this as Miller calls Jeffrey a 'yellow-faced little girl' for refusing to celebrate his twenty-first birthday. Obviously, they all could've gone out for drinks after Jeffrey wrapped up his interview but then we would have no movie. There's also the fact that Jeffrey's father conforms to the 'strict Asian parent' stereotype. Fortunately, such jokes are largely abandoned in favor of ridiculous sight gags as these three friends find themselves in one crazy situation after another. The script is basically a rehash the original "Hangover" with a few changes here and there. Instead of Las Vegas, the film is set on a college campus (actually the University of Washington) and rather than losing Jeffrey, Casey and Miller have to find out where he lives. It's a flimsy premise, and one that the audience will easily resolve if they pay close attention but Lucas and Moore cook up enough outrageous, if uninspired, scenarios that keep the laughs consistently rolling. Jeffrey is quickly knocked out for the majority of the film, leaving his two friends to fend for themselves as they run afoul of a Hispanic sorority and a group of jocks with way too much school spirit. The highpoint arrives midway and involves an eight story maze of various drinking games and beaded necklaces called the 'Tower of Power.' Lucas and Moore frequently mock the stereotypical 'college experience' even as it revels in them, from strange sorority rituals where initiates are spanked with a paddle to keg parties that result in a buffalo running amok. The characters fall under the usual comedy archetypes with Casey being the straight man, Miller the wise-cracker and Jeffrey the nerd (of course). Surprisingly, "21 and Over" does deal with some serious issues, with Casey and Miller finding a gun in Jeffrey's pocket while wondering how they all drifted apart. Given the number of mass shootings recently, some may believe that Jeffrey is mentally unstable but the truth is far more mundane (and handled with less finesse since this is a comedy after all). 

As for the performances, Skylar Astin and Miles Teller share a good rapport and they're likable enough in their roles to keep us invested despite the weak characterization. The dialogue can get too hung up on one joke but the banter between the two remains entertaining and well-improvised. Justin Chon's screen-time is unfortunately limited as the story demands he spend a good chunk of the film passed out and drunk, although I have to admire his tenacity for running around butt-naked with only a teddy bear to cover his crotch. Astin and Teller also end up wearing nothing but a tube sock as part of a humiliating ritual by a sorority group. Sarah Wright is sweet as Astin's love interest while Dustin Ybarra, Jonathan Keltz, and Samantha Futerman make the most out of their limited roles. 

"21 and Over" will be released on March 1, 2013 but has actually been screening as far back as last summer. Apparently, there was some footage shot in China (which led to a mild controversy that you can read about here) but not one scene is set there...in this version. Yes, there are actually two versions of the film! One will contain all the R-rated debauchery promised in the trailers while the other will be shown exclusively in China and features a radically different ending warning of the dangers of the 'hedonistic West' to Chinese audiences. I won't be going into a long discussion on this as it is not the focus of this review but to sum up my feelings, I find it sad that the Chinese populace is unable to enjoy the same cinema we have because their government is so afraid of free speech. Moving back to the topic at hand, audience reaction at last Wednesday's advance screening was positive, although the laughs did not reach the riotous levels of 2012's "Ted." Critical reception will likely be lukewarm at best given the film's derivative nature and it faces stiff competition during its opening weekend. Compared to similar R-rated comedies, "21 and Over" is merely passable, playing it safe by sticking to a tried-and-true formula but it does manage to be funny enough to make it worth a matinee.

Final Rating: 3 out of 5

"Dude, I'm really alert right now. I feel like Spider-Man!"