Starring: Zac Efron, Matthew Perry, Leslie Mann, Michelle Trachtenberg, Sterling Knight, Thomas Lennon
So most of us saw similar movies before. Of course we have. It is 2009!!! Some people like it and some think writers should go after new ideas. But the thing is, for the people who do like these kind of stories- “Big”, “13 going on 30”, hell even “back to the future” in some aspects,and so on- this movie definitely delivers.It is funny with great situational and physical comedy;complete with one-liners.
About the plot: Mike O’ Donnell ( Matthew Perry) is in his late 30s and an utter failure at all aspects of his life. His wife is divorcing him, his kids despise him, has a crappy job that he manages to get fired from…And this is all his doing. He used to be ( played by Zac Efron) a promising basketball star in his highschool. He is goegeous,popular,successful and is dating the girl of his dreams. But he receives some shocking news at the beginning of the most important game of his life and after that his life goes downhill…At least he thinks so and his -Scarlett (Leslie Mann)- having been fed up with his complaining all through the years, can’t take it anymore. So he meets a stranger, makes a wish and bizarrely enough, he finds himself at the age of 17 again. Except this time, he is not 17 in 1989. He finds himself going to the same school with his daughter and son. He realizes he barely knew what went on his kids’ lives and to make matter worse,his daughter (Trachtenberg) is constantly making out with the school’s bully who is making his son’s life hell…His best friend Ned-played by Lennon- is hilarious as the rich,sci-fi junkie who now has to pretend as Mike’s dad.
You don’t have to like Zac Efron to like this movie. I personally have a kind of love&hate relationship with him. Before Hairspray, I hadn’t seen him in any of his high school musical movies. I had seen his pictures/movie trailers however; and I thought he was just another teen actor/pop star who was there to attract young girls and make them dream. He was baby-faced and well too blond. Then, I watched Hairspray and frankly didn’t realize Zac was in it.I had to double-check the credits. He was great as the promising, jet-black haired, handsome star of a musical TV show. He used a great,thick singing voice to sing 50s/60s rock’n’roll songs and sounded so unlike himself. As an avid rock’n’roll fan, I loved his role and how he carried out.He didn’t look bad next to great talents like John Travolta, Christopher Walken and James Marsden. So just when I decided he had more then the high school musical going on for him, he seized to surprise me. Until 17 Again, that is. Yes, he plays a high schooler. At 22 and baby-faced, he looks perfectly 17. He is less blond, thank goodness and he is pretty good as a comedic actor. He actually didn’t disappoint me as the younger version of Matthew Perry. Some people are hung up on the idea of Zac can not be the younger version of Perry, lookswise. But then again, I claim that he should be flattered since Perry is an amazing comedian. Having played my favourite “Friend” Chandler, he is one of my fav. comedians of all times. Is Efron just as talented and funny? Not yet. Are both actors good casting choices? Absolutely. And if Zac can get more diverse roles, he might just pleasantly charm and surprise us.
For more posts on the cast:
Matthew Perry- Numb , Hollywood Stars in Friends, Including Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts and More
Leslie Mann- Funny People
