My friend got a hold on some free passes for the movie earlier this week. To be honest, I was only mildly interested in it. I had a major "wait for DVD" vibe with the trailer and TV ads. Boy was I wrong. It's definitely one of the better comedies in recent years. The beginning drags a bit, and some of the acting/dialogue is a bit orny (I don't think they were going for corny though) but those occasions are pretty rare. The comedy starts off sparse, but once Billy Bob and the rest of the class enters the picture, I felt like I was constantly laughing. And the best thing about the movie: when you expect the movie to end, it's not over yet. It leads you into thinking it'll follow the traditional romantic comedy ending, but definitely doesn't.

Basically, the thing about the movie is not to expect much. It's pretty unrealistic on many accounts. But once the comedy starts to pick up, it's pretty steady for the rest of the movie. I think this may become a (pretty minor) cult comedy, with th great chcracter in Dr. P, and some of his awesome one-liners.

B

B, not as good as other Jon Heder movies, but Billy Bob Thorton is excellent. Compared to director Todd Philips' other works, it is around the level of Road Trip, perhaps not quite as good, but it is a lot better than Old School and Starsky and Hutch. I have a feeling that people in younger demographics will enjoy this movie a lot more than older ones.

School for Scoundrels accomplishes what it sets out to do--provide an entertaining, albeit forgettable comedy. A nice thing about this movie is that most of the good jokes aren't shown in the trailer, which is a bit of a welcome surprise. Jon Heder is likeably nerdy, but I found Billy Bob Thornton a little bland and one-note. Rising actress Jacinda Barrett adds a dose of sweetness to the film. Overall, I enjoyed the picture, although nothing about it rreally stands out. B-

I wouldn't call it a complete failure, but I would say it's an extreme disappointment. After a pretty decent first half, the film falls flat and it falls hard. Actually the film pretty much takes a turn when Ben Stiller comes into play and how many films can say that it became unfunny once Ben Stiller showed up? Do I even have to mention the last scene which explains what happened to everyone? It did not get a single laugh, and people were just waiting to see what was next so they could release that laugh once they showed Jon Heder swimming in the pool. I mean, are we supposed to fall on the floor laughing once we read that his character just had sex for the first time? That's the film's big finish?

This is a gigantic disappointment for me, considering the cast (Minus Horatio Sanz) and director Todd Phillips who has directed three very good comedies in the past six years (Road Trip, Old School and Starsky & Hutch). This film doesn't come within a mile of those other three films.

C-

I thought it was quite funny, despite my utter dislike of Jon Heder. It seems to be he finds good movies to appear in despite his own inability to act in any decent manner (see also: Just Like Heaven). That being said, it had a good plot, funny script and perfect, although cliched beyond belief, ending. In short, it was fun fluff. Nothing more, nothing less. B

D+

Very unfunny comedy. Shockingly unfunny.

Didn't expect much, didn't get much. It provided a couple of good laughs, but ultimately, it's really predictable and completely forgettable.

C-ish.

Enjoyable comedy with good performances and a decent plot.

B+

A fun comedy with decent performances (especially Jacinda Barrett's) and a handful of laugh-out-loud scenes (such as the paintball war). Sure, you might forget it the minute you leave the theatre, but it's entertaining while it lasts. B-.

Really, really unfunny. I think I laughed only once or twice. The jokes are incredibly offensive and most of them fall flat, and the story is remarkably inane. There are some decent performances, but they're absolutely wasted in this terrible film.

C


Oh boy, I've really seen enough average comedies recently. This one isn't any different. Jon Heder still doesn his unfunny schtick. The only laughs are provided by Billy Bob Thornton, Michael Clarke Duncan and the great Sarah Silverman. Jacinda Barret is as blad as it gets as the film's female lead and Thonrton sadly doesn't have nearly enough screentime, to make up for the film's lacking funny moments I liked the Ben Stiller cameo, though. Overall, this was an okay way to spend 90 minutes, but ultimately very forgettable and only mildly amusing.

Moreover, what the hell with all the forced rape-by-Michael-Clarke-Duncan-jokes here?