What I Watched on my Honeymoon: Role Models

These last few weeks have provided me an opportunity to catch up on some pop culture viewing I’ve missed. Over the next few days I thought I’d share some of the highs and lows of what I’ve seen and absorbed.

The high point (other than hours of Rock Band 2 I played) has to be seeing Role Models at the cheap seats theater. Paul Rudd takes what could easily have been an Adam Sandler schlock vehicle and turns it into a funny ass movie that has no business being that good. Focusing on Rudd and Sean William Scott (note to fans, apparently he did not die in a blender accident in 2006 as Wikipedia reported) as two guys forced to do “big brother” type work to stay out of jail, the film is ripe for easy jokes. Instead, Rudd and his co-writers, including director and State alum, David Wain, make the most of the opportunity by peppering the kids with enough inappropriate humor that it seems real. Kudos to the kid stars for avoiding the “cute” pitfall as you find yourself feeling sorry but never because they’re cute kids. The film clips along at a nice pace and before you know it everyone is pretty happy, you’ve laughed yourself stupid, and you’re out of popcorn.

As an aside, I thought I’d mention one thing about box office, a topic I usually stay clear of. Role Models did exceptionally well for an R rated comedy released in the Fall. It came out just one week after Kevin Smith’s Zack and Miri Make A Porno, which had arguably a better chance to succeed since it stared comedy star of the moment Seth Rogen (although curiously both feature Elizabeth Banks). Here’s a case where a film was just marketed better and took advantage of the positive buzz from critics. Smith has been public about how disappointed he was at his film’s take and while Role Models is also a bit of a better flick, I think he needs look no further than the way Universal distributed the film versus old Harvey and Bob.