Role Models: Movie Review

Role Models: Movie Review

Rating 7/10
Cast: Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Elizabeth Banks, Robbie J Thompson
Director: David Wain

Danny (Paul Rudd) and Wheeler (Seann William Scott) are two energy drink salesmen on a tour of Los Angeles schools.
The pair sell (and drink) Minotaur energy drink - but despite that, they're diametrically opposed when it comes to towing the company line.
Wheeler loves the job; whereas Danny detests where his life has gone for the last 10 years - and things get worse for Danny when his relationship with Beth (Elizabeth Banks) falls apart.
So one day, on an energy drink and bitterness high, the pair end up trashing a school statue as well as assaulting a policeman and land themselves on the ultimate downer - a day in court.
However, Danny's ex Beth comes to the rescue and manages to get the pair 150 hours of community service as opposed to jail time.
The only problem is they end enrolled in a programme called Sturdy Wings (a kind of older brother scheme) - and matters get even worse when they meet their charges.
Danny's paired off with Augie (a post McLovin Mintz-Plasse) who's obsessed with live role playing re-enactments - and Wheeler's given a fifth grader named Ronnie (Thompson) who's blessed with a predilection for breasts and an extremely foul mouth.
Trouble is, after just one day with their charges, both Danny and Wheeler feel it'd be easier to spend time in jail rather than deal with the pair again&.
Role Models shouldn't work - it shouldn't be funny given you know what kind of character Seann William Scott plays (think variations of Stifler from American Pie)
And yet it does - sure, it's foul (you'll be shocked at how often you laugh at Ronnie spouting such obscenities as he does - including one very funny outburst involving a swear word and Miss Daisy) and yeah it's not the most sophisticated plot and you can see how the character arcs will end a mile off; but I just found myself laughing out loud at this.
That's mainly due to Paul Rudd, who wrote the script.
His turn as Danny is spot on for delivery as he fights exasperatedly against community service - his comic timing is a lot more subtle than the continual adolescent that Seann William Scott always plays.
Mintz Plasse is amusing as Augie, the nerd who lives in a fantasy world to escape the realities of home - but as Augie bonds with Danny, it's Augie who teaches Danny about respect and morals.
Also, it has to be said this film belongs to fifth grader Ronnie - whether it's because of his foul mouthed ways or the assured way he delivers his lines, he's a star in the rising (as long as he doesn't get typecast as a potty mouthed kid)

Role Models won't win awards for subtlety; it won't win awards for its obvious characterization - but it may win you over a whole lot more than you were willing to admit when you're in the queue buying the ticket.