Dean Slater: Resident Advisor

While "Dean Slater: Resident Adviser" is not amongst the worst of teen comedies, then it is neither amongst the best of them.

"Dean Slater: Resident Adviser" is a fairly adequate movie. It has some good and bright moments here and there, but this is hardly the type of comedy that will have you in tears from laughing. Sure, there were moments from time to time that proved funny and broke laughs. But in overall, then the movie wasn't riding high on laughs and comedy.

The story is straight forward, easy to follow and basically what you would expect from a movie such as this.

However, what carried the movie was the gallery of characters. The characters in the movie were well-portrayed and fleshed out on the screen. But characters are, of course, almost nothing without talented actors to bring the characters to life on the screen. And I will say that the people on the cast list in "Dean Slater: Resident Adviser" were doing good jobs with their given roles.

While not a movie that will leave a lasting impression, then "Dean Slater: Resident Adviser" is good entertainment for a single watching.

Hearkening back to the 80's college comedy aesthetic this movie tackles the modern dilemma of social media vs. real world interaction. Set at the fictitious Southern California State University the movie follows three freshmen boys who, struggling to overcome their high school identities, find guidance from a long-lost alum standing in as their resident adviser.

On screen you see a lot of pretty young faces and bodies (a couple of the actors are of Disney and Nickelodean pedigree) and a surprisingly diverse assortment of locations from desert to campus to beach to an elaborate data-network center.

Things begin with the usual college antics...partying and partying then paying the price. This all comes with some laughs. A lot of the gags are of the gross out variety and I have to say that despite myself I was laughing out loud at some of the absurd potty humor (particularly a case of drunken toilet bowl mix-up).

There is a love story or two for the hopeless romantics but the emotions seem to take back seat to silliness as the story moves forward towards it's internet defying climax.

The acting is all good enough with the one stand out being Mitchel Jarvis of "Keith Stone" infamy who plays the pseudo-lead Dean Slater. Jarvis brings some real gusto to his scenes with a mix of Gene Wilder Willy Wonka and Johny Depp Jack Sparrow making for a strangely transfixing character.

With their coincidentally freshman effort, Colin Sander (writer, director) and Christian Sander (writer, producer) have made a movie with all the signs of a young and enthusiastic cast and crew having fun and learning as they go along. There are plenty of little things to criticize with the story and structure, but with this kind of movie it's really not worth getting worked up over. Delivering a good dose of laughs and surprises this is worth the rental fee.

P.S. The credit sequence (though perhaps coming in a little late) is fantastic. I hope to see more of that creativity in the next Sander Bro's collaboration.

Dean Slater: Resident Adviser was a great surprise. It is easy to assume mediocrity when a movie skips the big screens. Then again, I don't have much experience with these low budget films outside of nature documentaries on netflix. I am not the biggest fan of college themed movies either. Bearing biases, I enjoyed RA for it's creative filming, plot, and easy to watch acting.

The awkward moments of college were brought to life quickly. The movie actually hinges on awkward college life and this is a good thing. Growing up is awkward, and especially amidst your peers. Those that critique this aspect of the film are probably still reconciling their own youthful travails. The young cast had to have felt a tinge of red on their cheeks during the filming.

The highlight of the plot was when the internet was forcefully shut down, effectively halting access to text messages and facebook. The campus wide panic that resulted was beautiful, and a great tribute to the joys of interacting face to face (awkward or smooth), rather than through the hyped mediums of the 21st of the century (that decrease the stakes of an awkward interaction). The scene of great angst and confusion where the students lacked access to their phones was not exaggerated either.

The college students today would react similarly if they found themselves without access to facebook. I have seen my students use it voraciously when given free seconds. The social media snowball is racing downhill to create the next interactive platform into which the young and curious can stare into endlessly. But what about staring deeply into the eyes of your next best friend, or loved one? The writers of RA showed their concern in regards to the direction of everyday interaction on college campuses today. This made the movie for me.

The filming separated the movie from other non big screeners. It was tidy, clean and creative. The introductory scene and credits were excellent. 007 movies always kick off with an action scene and seductive opening credits. RA proved similar with less alterations and more props - which was impressive and had you buckling up rather than taking a bathroom break. Christian, Colin, and Scott are hopefully polishing up the plot of their second movie by now. I'm an eager fan.

The movie "Dean Slater: Resident Adviser" was an attention grabbing film that for sure will bring laughter. The actors in the movie did a very good job of playing their roles and getting into character. The film also included the Japanese skill toy know as the "Kendama," and the film portrayed how the Kendama can be used in different context. I found the film to be very worth watching and hysterical. The story's plot is also very well thought out. It is actually just simply amazing coming from a pro Kendama player. A calm mind is a mind that is able to conjure up genius material as such. I rate this film 10/10 but it honestly breaks the scale. EXPECT TO LAUGH. The film is very much enjoyable, so sit back and enjoy it!

Movies about the American college experience are silly, and this raises the bar. The reality of the American college environment is unreal, and so any comedy flick on the subject is by nature exploitative. Which reminds me to write that screenplay on my very real college experience that laid the groundwork for the next 20 years of my life.

The bottom line: this is an incredibly silly movie specific to California college life. It is not particularly awful and has some poignant and well thought out comedic moments. It has, as a major theme, the abuse of social media, which, given the sorry state of American culture these days - with people sharing a meal paying more attention to their cell phones than their company - is a real concern. This B-Grade flick makes the unpopular argument that the pervasiveness of social media is excessive, and that we we need to find a balance.

"Are you Amish?"