Des gars modèles

Just saw this tonight at an advance screening. It was very funny, and warm hearted. I suppose the humor is often crude, but, hey. The natural dialog reminded me of Superbad and 40 Year Old Virgin. Paul Rudd has developed a deadpan style of improvisational humor that seems to work better and better the more movies he makes. Christopher Mintz-Plasse from Superbad and Robb'e J. Johnson are excellent as the kids. Jane Lynch brings her signature brand of demented free association to the role of the charity-addicted leader of a kids charity. If you liked Superbad, Pineapple Express and 40 Year Old Virgin, go! If you didn't; Dude, like, don't!

Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott are two very funny comedic actors. They prove what great chemistry they have together. Rudd and Scott star as Danny and Wheeler, two ne'er-do-wells who are sentenced to do community service. They have to serve in a Big-Brother-type program called Sturdy Wings for a total of 150 hours. Danny and Wheeler have opposite attitudes, yet they get along like they have been best friends for years. Jane Lynch (The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Talladega Nights) steals the show as the supervisor of the program that Danny and Wheeler are enrolled in. Elizabeth Banks gives a good supporting turn as Danny's girlfriend and lawyer. Another show stealer is Bobb'e J. Thompson as Ronnie, the kid Wheeler has to be a big brother to. Thompson is given some of the funniest lines and he is believable in this role.

Role Models is a funny film with great dialog this is one of those films that doesn't rely on psychical comedy to carry it. So the movie is about these two guys Danny and Wheeler who are sentenced to community service and what they have to do is be big brothers to these two kids that they cannot stand.

The strong points in the movie are the sarcastic lines that Paul Rudd gives and the antics Bobb'e J. Thompson will do, and how crazy Jane Lynch is besides that no one else is funny really at all. Comedy wise this movie will hit and miss and when it misses it really misses with the poop jokes they do or mindless swearing the movie is just lame but the sarcasm and weirdness characters bring will have you laughing.

The plot is pretty predictable it is just a buddy comedy but I will hand it to them this movie makes LARP look pretty cool. What I do enjoy is that they don't hold over Paul Rudd romance side plot too much in the story they stick by the guys trying to get along with these kids.

This is directed by David Wain he hasn't directed notable stuff but he has directed episodes of Children's Hospitol, which is a pretty funny show.

Overall this is a funny comedy not the best but worth a watch I say a solid rental.

Role Models is directed by David Wain who also collectively writes the screenplay with Timothy Dowling, Paul Rudd and Ken Marino. It stars Paul Rudd, Sean William Scott, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bobbi'e J. Thompson, Elizabeth Banks and Jane Lynch. Music is by Craig Wedren and cinematography by Russ T. Alsobrook.

Two energy drink salesmen (Rudd and Scott) are ordered to perform 150 hours of community service as punishment for an offence that occurred when their company vehicle was about to be towed. For their service, the two men work at a program called Sturdy Wings that is designed to pair kids with adult role models.

Personally I avoided it until now because it just sounded like another lame American bawdy comedy about two slacker dudes who create chaos and then grow up by the end credits. This in spite of the fact that I rate Rudd highly and have often found Scott watchable in small doses. As it happens, the film follows the standard formula of plotting but rises above it with funny dialogue, a commitment to its characters and an avoidance of the sort of treacle thick sentimentality that is out of place in this type of comedy. It's also expertly performed by the cast, with the youngsters doing their shift admirably.

Yep, there's adherence to poignancy and type, while the odd scene just comes off as being too smug and clever. But there's so much fun to be had here it doesn't hurt the film, it's a true pick me up if you are feeling down, a splendid case of a cast finding chemistry across the board and delivering on the promise of the zippy script. 8/10

Danny (Paul Rudd) has a bad day on the job and drags his loyal but dim-witted buddy Wheeler (Sean William Scott) down with him. Danny is a 'Red Bull' style energy drink spokesman, Wheeler is the guy in the bull suit that jumps around beside him. In the same 24 hours Danny loses his girlfriend, license and job.

In reality he starts by losing the girlfriend Beth (Elizabeth Banks), and his subsequent tantrum and stupidity sees him lose both license and job and sees him teetering on the verge of imprisonment. Somehow guilt by association sees Wheeler in the same predicament.

To avoid jail Beth – who happens to be a lawyer = lucky – wrangles community service instead. Service in the form of helping disadvantaged and troubled kids for a company named 'Sturdy Wings'.

This shakiest of premises: allowing unreliable young men to mentor impressionable young boys, sets the scene for the slap dash stuff that follows. Miraculously enough though the threadbare premise is held together by enough jokes and amusing moments to make the thing worthwhile, largely due to the continued comedic stylings of one Paul Rudd, and the strength of the various supporting bit parts on display throughout.

When allotted their respective 'littles' (Danny and Wheeler are 'bigs') by Sturdy Wings boss and recovering alcoholic Sweeney (Jane Lynch) we immediately see where this is going.

Danny considers himself 'normal', but in reality he is so concerned with not being deemed 'uncool' that his disdain for cliché and obvious statements leaves everyone else bored by his constant judgment. He scores 16ish Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), a medieval-style role player who is intensely insecure when not in character, and intensely-intense when he is.

Wheeler on the other hand wants no part of responsibility of any kind. He is more than happy being the jumping around sidekick in the costume and has no thought for his own future. For now he is all about the… well let's just say boobies (and everything below). Of course he is allocated troubled young 8ish Ronnie, a profane little sh*t-stirrer who wants nothing more than to not have to deal with adults.

Each kid has parental issues – but ones that don't kill the potential laughs – no abuse here, and the guys must get through to the children in their own way, and sucks; maybe learn a little about themselves on the way… What develops is a rom-com with all the associated hijinks, temporary fall-outs and hitches, only between an adult male and a kid/youth, but that's not where the laughs are born.

Role Models works best in the smaller roles, the now renowned Ken Jeong keeps his pants on this time and plays the King of the role playing game L.A.I.R.E., surrounded by his toadying minions and remaining in character even away from the game in his kingdom at the local cafe. Jane Lynch is a little OTT with the attempted mind games as the Sturdy Wings boss, but she also gets a few of the best lines in the flick, and there are numerous other bit roles – each with a couple jokes – filled by character actors that'll have you remembering them from other bit roles in other flicks.

The jokes are thrown about quick and fast, and while some don't work enough do to make Role Models a lot like I Love You, Man and Knocked Up, lightweight and amusing enough to justify your time, with occasional genuine humour (and unexpected nudity!).

Final Rating – 6 / 10. I can see the future. When I watched this 4 days ago I knew myself well enough that I wrote "It really is a 6" next to the rating. You might not recall Role Models as such a cracking laugh weeks after the viewing, but while you are watching it is a good time.