Review of 17 Again (2009) by Sally S — 22 Feb 2012

2009 - 3.1/5.

Zac Efron: Hot!

Good movie: Yes!!!

Mike O'Donnell is about to play a very important basketball game in his senior year of high school. With a college scout floating around, and a potential scholarship on the line, he finds out his girlfriend Scarlett is pregnant. He leaves the game in order to pursue a life with Scarlett and their child. 20 years later, Mike (Matthew Perry) is about to get divorced from Scarlett, has no relationship with his 2 teenage kids, doesn't get the promotion he expected and he lives with his childhood best friend Ned (Thomas Lennon). He goes back to the school and after a short conversation with the 'janitor' he is turned back to his 17-year-old self (Zac Efron). At first, he thinks he has been given a chance to relive the life that he gave up, but he soon finds out that that isn't the case.

Even though this is rated PG13, it's still pretty funny. Practically the entire movie is a comedy, with the exception of the courtroom scene at the end. This is when Zac Efron really shines and shows that he can be a serious actor. Efron is able to portray a parent effortlessly and I've always thought he was a good [and hot] actor. He deserves more credit than he gets, and I think he proves that in this movie.

The only negative thing I have to say about this movie is Matthew Perry as the adult Mike O'Donnell. I didn't think he fit the part mainly because of his looks. Clearly not a 'thirty-something-year-old' and because he doesn't have a large part in this movie, another actor would have fit the bill more and that wouldn't have changed anything.

To be honest, we've seen this type of movie before. It really isn't original, but it's not overplayed. It's done in a tasteful manner and overall, it's a fun movie to watch, the acting is well done, Efron is easy on the eyes, and it's worth the watch.