09/13/06 School For Scoundrels

School For Scoundrels (2006), directed by Todd Phillips

watched solo; theater (NC State University Cinema, Raleigh, NC); free screening

Unable to convince my lovely girlfriend (who is battling a cold, so maybe it was unfair of me to expect anything different) or any other friend (what kind of friends are they really?) to go see this late night free screening of a delightful comedy...I set out on a rainy night to watch it myself. Kind of depressing and sad, yes...but I'll blame it on Mother Nature's mood for the evening and not my being lame. Speaking of lame...wouldn't you know, that is exactly what the plot is for our nerdy leading man Jon Heder (gimme your tots Napoleon). Being lame. Heder plays low self-esteem NYC meter maid Roger, who can't seem to get anything quite right in life...most notably luck with the ladies. With some not-so-subtle advice from fellow dork Ian (David Cross), Roger decides to enroll in a secretive confidence-building course taught by the ultra-suave and chauvinistic Dr. P (Billy Bob Thornton). Upon arriving at the top-secret meeting of the geeks in an office building one night for the first class, the group realizes that they are in for a culture shock of epic proportions when Dr. P lays the ladies' man mantra on them. Trying to prove to these complete losers that they are worthy of respect and the occasional casual sex hook-up date...he starts challenging the inept men in battles for supremacy. When Roger begins to excel at the cocky teachings, showing his newfound affection towards his secret crush Amanda, Dr. P takes the stakes to another level. Soon Dr. P begins to compete for alpha male standing with the lovely lady, and each man will stop at nothing (and I mean nothing) to get what they want as suitors. It's a subtle hilarity that is brought to this ridiculous attempt to woo, as both men take their shenanigans so seriously as to ruin the other man's credibility and life. It's funny and touching at moments, while gross and pompous at others...kind of a more sedated "Old School" (director Phillip's 2003 hit thats spawning a sequel) frat boy mentality. The best parts throughout the film come more so from the band of talented comedians that make up the classes and sub-character friends...including Cross, Matt Walsh & Matt Besser (from "Upright Citizen's Brigade"), Luis Guzman, Sarah Silverman, Andrew Daly ("MadTV"), Horatio Sanz ("SNL"), DeRay Davis ("Barbershop"), Todd Louiso ("High Fidelity"), Paul Scheer ("Best Week Ever"), and Ben Stiller (from everything). Those guys are what make it so enjoyable...and oh yeah, Michael Clarke Duncan plays the right-hand man/hencman Lesher to Dr. P's ultra-smooth bossman (think Flavor Flav's "Flavor Of Love" cronie Big Rick, but with a penchant for sodomy). Ok, the name dropping will stop. The movie is funny and witty enough to be sophisticated...although watching it at a late-night screening on a college campus with co-eds all hopped up on God-knows-what while Heder launches tennis balls at Thornton's face for laughs can be a bit sophomoric, I'm not ashamed to say I too laughed hysterically.

3 out of 5 stars