PCU

One of the best attempts at recreating the legendary iconography that is Animal House. This movie is full of quotable quotes and less than known actors at the time. Check it out if only for Jeremy Piven, Jon Favreau and Jake Busey in an amusing cameo as a stoner/ultimate Frisbee player. Favreau and Piven's interaction recalls old comedy schtick but in a very endearing way. The appearance of George Clinton makes the movie worth watching if only for the party scene. And if you didn't already think the soundtrack to hell was going to be Starland Vocal Band here in lies a scene to convince you otherwise. David Spade should not be overlooked in his role as a preppy frat boy wanna-be and his rant about all of the PC sects at the end of the movie is completely priceless. This movie though much overlooked is a cult classic and should be well recognized in the pantheon of college themed flicks.

PCU is a hilarious college comedy starring Jeremy Piven. A pretty normal looking preppy dude goes to Port Chester University to decide if he wants to go there and ends up befriending the people who live at "The Pit", who are at odds with some of the PC groups on campus and a thorn in the side of the administration. Jeremy Piven is a great and charismatic lead and even if he is pushing 40, he still is going to college. PCU is not too far removed from Animal House or Revenge Of The Nerds, but updated for the 90's. It plays on stereotypes, but in a fun way and is very funny. David Spade appears as well as a swarmy, preppy, frat boy type, pretty much an all around weenie. George Clinton And The Parliament Funkadelic appear to play The Pit and for good tunes. So watch PCU and have a good time, or you can ..."blow me where the pampers is".

As far as homages to / imitations of "Animal House" go, this has to rank as a pretty good one. It's got good characters, some amusing dialogue, decent satire of special interest groups, and a cool soundtrack. Its pacing is acceptable, its running time brief (81 minutes in total), and its spirit irresistible.

Marking a rare directorial effort by actor Hart Bochner (who's best known as weaselly executive Ellis in the action classic "Die Hard"), "PCU" features Chris Young as Tom Lawrence, a clean cut, wide eyed "normal" sort of guy who is checking out Port Chester University to see if he'd like to go there in the fall. He gets caught up in the fervor of various "politically correct" activists, as well as the activities of the wacky guys and gals of The Pit, a student group known for their nonconformity.

As you may guess from that running time, there's really not that much story here, but there are enough laughs to keep the movie watchable. Jeremy Piven contributes a charismatic star turn as "Droz", leader of The Pit. Megan Ward and Sarah Trigger supply appealing love interests for Young and Piven. Jessica Walter does fine as an easier-on-the-eyes version of Dean Vernon Wormer. David Spade is extremely well cast as the snooty and smarmy preppie McPherson. There are also engaging performances by actor / director Jon Favreau and Alex Desert. George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic further spice things up with their appearance. The climactic party shows how sometimes people just need to lighten up and enjoy life a little more.

With its well defined protagonists and antagonists, the end is appropriately satisfying, and overall "PCU" provides solid entertainment to those just looking to have a good time.

Seven out of 10.

I have always loved this movie. It captured a time when "politically correct" was becoming a watchword and a culture. Looking back, the protesters look tame and quaint compared to what we have on campuses today. Jeremy Piven is the obvious standout as the leader of The Pit, a decidedly Un-PC group on campus who just wants to have fun in a place where everyone is offended by everything. Everyone involved is amazing and the film is endlessly quotable. It's not Animal House and it's not trying to be. After loving it for years, I bought the DVD and listened to the commentary. Director Hart Bochner comes off as a guy who just wanted to make a good film, and I think he succeeded. Jeremy Piven on the other hand, comes off as an arrogant prima donna who endlessly brings up how, "If only I'd been allowed to improvise my entire dialogue, this film would have succeeded." Given some public statements he's made since then, like John Cusack wouldn't have had a career if it hadn't been for him, my opinion of Piven as a person is low. Despite that, he really does turn in a signature perform in this film. It doesn't take itself seriously and you should go into it just wanting to be entertained. It's a nostalgic trip for those of us who were teens/twenties in the 90s, like Airheads, SFW, or Singles.

Funny college comedy in the "Animal House" vein, with Piven out to save his dorm from being turned over to the young Republican legion led by David Spade. The film's gimmick has the school's last party dorm constantly under attack by women's libbers, radical black nationalists and vegetarians (who get raw meat dumped on them in the film's opening scenes, sure to weed out anybody who really shouldn't see this movie anyway). Above average laughs and sincerity for this kind of fare.

I liked seeing George Clinton in the film, too; I'm a big fan so I'm sort of biased, but I thought he and the guys and gals of P-Funk brought a lot to the film. In fact, several young people (I'm 27 myself, all you old Maggotheads) have told me they first heard of Parliament Funkadelic from this movie. That's great, but I sure wish they'd picked something better than that insipid "jump jump" song they used.