17 Again (Movie)
There's nothing awfully new to the plot but as cliche as it is, it works....AGAIN. Mike O'Donell is a strapping young man who was at the top of his game...his life, at 17, playing basketball. He had the future rolling out nicely ahead of him. And then his girlfriend tells him that she's pregnant in the middle of an important game and being a responsible person, he ditches the game and marries her. Well, not on the same day but you get the drift. Deep down inside, Mike feels that he missed out on childhood and he should have a better one. He had such a bright future and there he was, a loser. All because pregnant and he she got herself pregnant and now he had to marry her. That A-hole. All in all, it's a very interesting way to work an old plot. Being my age, we've practically seen all there is to be seen about stories like this but I watched this because there was Zac Efron and I liked the trailer. The acting Apart from some parts whereby he looked a little cock-eyed, Zac is amazing as a young-again father. If there is talk about how he can only force tears into his eyes while goggling his bloody Vanessa, I would be the first to raise my hand and object. He CAN bloody well act and he's funny too! There was one part whereby Zac was slapped red on both sides of his cheeks so many times by so many people that I actually hurt FOR HIM. I hope filming didn't take too long and nobody else NGed the stupid scene. Poor guy. Father and Son I liked the father and son (Mike's son played by Streling Knight) plot. Now that he's 17 again and he can go where his kids go, Mike (who uses the name Mark as a disguise) literally stalks his kids. His son has potential in basketball but lacks confidence. He's cute but he won't talk to girls and lets other people be nasty to him. Basically, he's a loser with a capital L.O.S.E.R. But he's not. So, this father, being in his clique now, decides to give his son the boost that he needs. Father and Daughter I thought Michelle Trachtenberg who took on the role of Maggie shouldn't be casted in the beginning. How can someone who looks like Zac Efron have a daughter that is not STUNNING? She's not ugly but she's not Zac Efron's daughter, you know what I mean. But as the story unfolded, I changed my mind a little. She's quite good except for the one scene whereby she was supposed to cry when her boyfriend dumped her. Lousy. But then she suddenly (unknowingly) falls in love with her father and goes all catty over her own dad....gosh! I have to give credit to Efron for that. Amazing job! Zac and Leslie Mann I sincerely hoped and prayed that they wouldn't kiss. It's different from when Hugh Dancy kissed Melanie Griffith in TEMPO but in this....the age gap is ridiculous. Even if I didn't have to see it, it grosses me out to read it! I mean, it would be like ME kissing Zac Efron and it's menacingly......wait...hhhhmmmmm...... *giggle* Sorry....where was I? Well, they did and turns out, they hid it so it was bearable. It's going to sound odd but Zac Efron had chemistry with Leslie Mann but Leslie Mann did NOT have chemistry with Zac Efron. Makes sense? Oh, whatever. Overall This is a shrine in the form of a movie built for Zac Efron (sans Vanessa Hudgens). If Efron set out to sever the link between him and all High School Musical stuff with this movie, he's got 30% of it done. That's because there's still the crucial element of BASKETBALL which Efron totally nailed both in High School Musical AND 17 Again. Can't blame a guy for being good at it. I still think he should just dump Vanessa. You must have noticed that I did not mention anything about Matthew Perry, huh? Well, it's intentional because Matthew Perry in 17 again is forgetable. He wasn't in the movie.....and his presence was never felt. Sorry....
Labels: Movies Review
thirtysomething said…
You are so right! I am from the southern United States and am naturally pale, pale, pale. Have been compared to Snow White. Here, pale is generally not found to be attractive. Why can't we all embrace what we are? I say that, but still head to a tanning bed once every couple of weeks. Sigh.