Stealing Harvard

Call me crazy, but I liked this movie. It had its moments. I especially liked Elaine's dad; his character was the funniest. The part where John and Mr. Warner end up in drag at the judge's house was so funny. Then the end was great when John writes I have the picture, and the judge lets him off. And all the silly ideas John and Duff come up with to get the money were quite entertaining. I liked the fact that for once, Tom Green didn't play a gross out character.

FINAL VERDICT: This is a comedy worth seeing. It's only about 80 minutes long, but that's about right for a Tom Green movie.

Okay, okay. Bad premise, bad script. Otherwise, this is a good film played for laughs. Jason Lee, Tom Green and Megan Mullally are all on fine form, playing the characters we have come to expect from them.

In particular, Jason Lee is his typical self here, playing the slightly angry yet humorous good guy. For some, Tom Green may be too wacky, but his character, Duff, is like a toned-down version of himself, so it will surely prove bearable for his naysayers.

Some really good comedy moments and a few nice set pieces are enough to make up for an otherwise silly and clichéd film. Definitely worth a watch, I found it really enjoyable in a switched-off-brain sort of way.

Its a good movie to watch if you want a good laugh. It isn't anything to take seriously. Its about a man who is going to marry a pretty young lady who is his boss's daughter. She was brought up by her rich overly protective father. It seems he held her back and; therefore, she did not have that many friends. The relationship with her father was a little weird but it was supposed to be funny. When his girlfiend gives him good news, that they've saved enough money to buy a house, everything seems to be going perfect. Its a great way to start the movie. When he finds out that he is expected to pay his nieces college tuition, this is where the excitement starts. "How does he get the money?" The way in which he trys to get the money is goofy but funny. Its funny to see how he tries to steel money and never fails each time. It puts on the excitement when his girl friend knows he is up to something and thinks he is cheating on her. I bought the tape cause it was a cheap price and I enjoyed the movie. I don't watch it all the time but I do enjoy it when I do.

This movie wasn't one of the funniest I've ever seen or anything, but I don't think it's as bad as everyone is claiming. There were a handful of times when I laughed out loud. Many people I know complained about Tom Green - he's just the type of guy you either love, or really hate... doesn't mean he's a talentless goon. It's hard for me to picture Lee in a film not directed by Kevin Smith, it seems like he's not comfortable in anything else. Maybe I just perceive it wrong. But I'd only recommend this to a fan of somebody in the movie.

The plot is as simple as the film itself: John (Jason Lee) once made a promise to his niece that if she ever got accepted to college, he would pay her way. When the time arrives, he finds himself broke, and resorts to asking his loser buddy, Duff (Tom Green), for help. Clichés and hi-jinks ensue.

The film is surprisingly sterilized, especially when you consider its two stars: Jason Lee, a Kevin Smith alum, and Tom Green, the gross-out king who wrote, directed and starred in "Freddy Got Fingered." Lee is likable and congenial, if a bit soft, while Green relies more on physical humor and less on substance. He utters a few humorous lines here and there, but he is, in essence, just a prop. There are several other talented comedic actors such as Leslie Mann ("Big Daddy"), Megan Mullally (TV's "Will & Grace"), John C. McGinley (TV's "Scrubs") and of course, the amazing Martin Starr (TV's "Freaks & Geeks") who help keep the film fresh and funny, but unfortunately there's just not enough of them. The film is stacked with great and hilarious actors, but rarely takes advantage of this fact. As far as the humor goes, it forgoes the gross-out comedy of the time in an effort to yield rather tame and inoffensive results. And in its brief 82 minutes, it works. "Stealing Harvard" is hardly a classic, but if one were to sit down on a dead Sunday afternoon, kick back and relax with few expectations, it works. You'll likely get a few solid chuckles out of it, and it's innocent and simplistic plot makes for a good "turning off the brain" time.