17 ans encore

Mike O'Donnell (Zac Efron) was a teen basketball jock with all the potential in the world. When his girlfriend got pregnant, he abandons it all to marry her. Now they're adults, Mike (Matthew Perry) can't stop blaming all his problems on this decision. His wife Scarlet (Leslie Mann) divorces him. Then one night, a guardian angel sends Mike through a vortex and turns him back into a teen again. He decides to go back to high school to relive his high school years, but instead he reconnects with his family.

Thomas Lennon does his wacky best friend. It's basically 'Big' in reverse. The story isn't anything new or original. Zac Efron is quite funny as the fish out of water. He's surprisingly great as a compelling lead. It's his performance and his energy that drives this movie. The trick is that he's not playing a teen. He's playing mid-30s in a body of a teen.

(Synopsis) In 1989, Mike O'Donnell (Zac Efron) is a high school senior and star athlete, who is heading for college on a basketball scholarship. But instead, Mike must give up his dreams, because his girlfriend Scarlett (played by Allison Miller - teenager) is pregnant. Twenty years have gone by and Mike is not living the good life. Mike must move in with his wealthy software genius nerd and best friend, Ned Freedman (Thomas Lennon), because he is separated from his wife Scarlett (played by Leslie Mann – adult). Mike has two teenage children, and he doesn't have a good relationship them either. At work, Mike has been passed over for another promotion again, because he doesn't have a college degree. Mike has hit rock bottom so he returns to his high school to reminisce his glory days. He shares his feelings with the school janitor how great things were when he was 17. On his way back to Ned's house, Mike is changed into a 17 year-old again. Mike returns to high school to finish the life he thought he should have had.

(My Comment) The story is a 'what if' story of things that could have been. We don't know how life will treat us when we go down a different path. Where would I be if I had gone to college, joined the army, or not married Scarlet? But what people don't realize is that you only have one life, and you can never go back. You must live the life you have and make it better, if you can. If you want to change the world, make a change to your world, and you change the world. Mike realizes that he hasn't been a good father or husband. He discovers why he fell in love with Scarlet in the first place, and what he has missed by not being closer to his children. Mike already had a perfect life, he just didn't appreciate it. Zac Efron does a good job of making you believe that he is the father of his two children in the scenes he has with them. The storyline is predictable, and we have seen it before, but if you want to see a feel good movie that will keep the whole family entertained throughout, this is a good movie to see. It also has a moral to the story that you don't know what you have until you lose it. (New Line Cinema, Run Time 1:42, Rated PG-13)(7/10)

The storyline was very well done and enjoyable. I was pleasantly surprised at this movie. Keep an open mind and you will enjoy the movie.

Zac Efron did a really decent acting job. I honestly thought it would be High School Musical-like but it turned out to be a nice movie to watch. If he keeps up the good work and takes it to the next level, he can really be an A level quality star. Zac is no Matthew Macfadden yet but there is potential.

There are two recasts I would have done. Matthew Perry wasn't fully right for this role. He has a comedic bent but it wasn't used at all in this movie - hence a total waste and was a mismatch from a character perspective. I think John Stamos would have been better. Also Michelle Trachtenberg playing the teenager was a bit much. Trachtenberg is a solid actress but for a teenager, a different actress would have been better.

It is a very nice movie and I usually rate a movie on whether it's worth paying full price, matinée, video store, Netflix or don't bother. The movie was worth paying full price.

I didn't think I would like this movie and yet I actually really did! First thing that makes one feel a bit reluctant about this movie is the fact that we saw this story hundreds of time. The going back in time/being a teen again stories are very popular. And yes, this one is another of them. Main reason I can't rate it is higher than 7 is because it lacks originality and it is easy to predict what happens and how it ends.

Yet, this does not ruin the movie. It has a fresh and funny dialogue and an amazing cast.

Actually I would like to apologize to Zac Effron. I never saw a movie with him before and only knew that he is loved by teenage girls. So when I started watching I was ind of resenting the idea that soon Mathew Perry, who is a funny actor, will be replaced by Zac Effron for the most of the movie. Yet, it didn't turn out as a bad thing. He is actually a very good and funny actor. Next time I see that he is in the cast, I will consider it a positive thing.

The rest of the cast was great as well, a special mentioning deserves Thomas Lennon whose character Ned made me laugh through the movie.

It is a very PG movie. I was very happy about the fact that they didn't make it too cheesy. It had its moments but for the most it is just light entertainment. I am not even the target audience, I think for the most it is appealing to teenagers or parents who miss their school days. I am neither and yet I liked it,so its a well done job.

I went to see this with film with my teenage daughter and really wasn't expecting to enjoy it. I settled down in my seat for the duration and the first few scenes showing Efron as a high school basketball player had me groaning inwardly as I assumed that this was going to be another predictable high school/age swap film of the type that has been done so many times before - and really isn't the sort of film I would choose to see anyway. Not a promising start. However, I was pleasantly surprised by 17 Again. It was witty and well acted and made me laugh out loud - not something I often do even when I appreciate the humour in a film.

This film's appeal is also strengthened by the acting of the supporting characters as well as the main ones - Thomas Lennon's character was particularly well delivered. I found no fault with Zac Efron's acting in this and I enjoyed his performance in Hairspray but it would be interesting to see him in a serious grown up dramatic role.