Review of 21 Jump Street (2012) by Turner E — 14 Jun 2014

OK Hollywood. You got me. I was wrong. A lot of people, including myself, were ready to hate this movie. It seems like the pinnacle of everything wrong in Hollywood. Making a remake/reboot of a 1980's series with little to no fanbase or desire to see it updated. This looked like a totally bomb. But man was I wrong. And for once, I was totally happy.

Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum star as Schmidt and Jenko, two cops asked to infiltrate a school disguised as students, to take down a local drug ring. Back when they were teenagers, Schmdit was the unpopular kid and Jenko was a popular jock. They didn't become friends until the entered the academy. But now they have grown a mutual respect and admiration for one another. Schmidt is the brains and conscience while Jenko is the muscle. They balance one another out. But soon their friendship is tested when, in the age of cultural acceptance and the boom of the geek culture, Schemit is the popular one and Jenko is the ostracized one. They have to work together not only to take down the drug ring, but to repair their relationship.

Lets talk about why this movie works, when so many remakes don't. It can all be summed up in Nick Offerman's monologue about how they are just retooling an old, worn out program from the 80's that no one cared about. That hilarious scene defines this comedy. The creators of this movie are the same ones who directed The LEGO movie, and it shows. These guys known on paper this sounds like a studio cash grab. So they decided to just do whatever they wanted. Its self aware and decides to just role with it. They tell their own original story without having to rely on the faulty source material. But unlike other self aware movies like Scary Movie or the endless parody movies, these people but effort into their work, their comedy, their action, and even their characters. So we got a funny movie that jokingly acknowledges what it is, and just has fun. And that's what this movie is. Fun.

But good ideas are one thing. What ultimately makes it work is the comedy. Its just a laugh riot from start to finish. Most of it because of the wonderful chemistry between Tatum and Hill. Who would have thought they would seem like they have a genuine friendship? They get a lot of laughs. Some people may dislike Hill, but he usually gets a laugh from me. The biggest surprise for me was Tatum. Besides a few good films here or there, he never did much for me (sorry ladies). But here he shows his comedy chops very well. I think the reason it works it the same reason Mark Walhberg can get a laugh from me. Both seem like your traditional action heroes: white, buff, commanding. So to see them actually try comedy, it makes the situation funnier because its a genuine surprise. It plays with your expectations. The movie does well because of its two leads.

And I was really surprised by how accurately it gets modern school dynamics. In most films, they think everyone is defined by their stereotypes: geek, jock, prep, etc..

We've seen these stereotypes before, and most high school movies have nothing new to say about it. This movie offers a more realistic spin. In the age of Glee, geek culture, and tolerance, what was uncool has slowly become more mainstream. People are more accepting. So Schmit becomes the more well liked one while Jenko is disliked for his brutish and jerk jock personality. And while we are one the subject, Schmit even gets a pleasant romance with a pretty young girl played by Brie Larson. Larson made a big splash with her role in the Spectacular Now. And she does well with Hill, and their chemistry is actually very sweat. I was kinda surprised at how well and believable their relationship was. This movie is surprisingly one of the most accurate depictions of school social life and it has a genuinely believable romance. And this is a silly parody movie!

21 Jump Street is a surprise from start to finish. Its big, its fun, and its silly. And I loved every minute of it.

**** (out of 5).