Review of Drake & Josh Go Hollywood (2006) by Adam S — 23 Apr 2008

Hollywood as a symbol for accomplishment and the fulfilment of dreams is such an iconic underpinning to the film medium that it was almost inevitable that Drake Bell and Josh Peck would disembark on a journey that was seldom accomplished in the sit-com television show. The narrative, clear-cut and clichéd exploitâ??s the family regulars of Drake and Josh as they â??accidentallyâ?? send their sister Megan on a plane to Los Angeles, the land of dreams and opportunities, setting up a convenient story, as we watch Drake and Josh finally accomplish their dreams of music and management respectively. This however is where the dream ends. Hollywood as a â??dream factoryâ?? is never fully exploited in the film; and what we get instead is an extended version of the television show, exploring the â??disastrousâ?? situations that the pair are infamous for. Although the film plays safe to audience expectation and demand, there was no attempt for the film to break away from the television series and shed a new tone to the pair; as opposed to replicating what so many of us have already witnessed. Additionally, the film did lack humour, and the situations that the pair encountered, were simply not satisfying enough. Drake and Josh are in a feature length â??Hollywoodâ?? film baby; we want all the action, humour, drama, enjoyment; that we all love from the movies; and unfortunately Drake and Josh had other ideas, therefore presenting us with a familiar formula that felt too restricted for the story that was exploited. Conservatively, By the end of the film Drake did manage to get signed to a â??record labelâ?? that he was so desiring to accomplish; but he will be back on his sofa at home before longâ?¦.

Final Rating: (3-) Three Star -.