By Dan Mecca
Within the first five minutes of 17 Again teen-heartthrob Zac Efron finds an excuse to get shirtless and perform an impressive dance routine. Neither of these gags are necessary to the film’s plot. But then this is less of a film and more of a vehicle – a leapfrog of sorts for Efron, here in his first real leading man role, to jump into the stardom so many have destined him for.
We’ve seen this story a thousand times before in a thousand different ways. An old, jaded dad (an ironic and cynical Matthew Perry, doing the Friends thing nicely here) gets another chance to relive the glory days of his past and “make it right.” This time it’s not Clarence the guardian angel optioning said chance, but rather Brian Doyle-Murray as one of the creepiest janitors in the history of cinema. This thing throws in time travel, near-incestuous relationships (Back to the Future much?), age jumping (Big and 13 Going on 30) and, if one thinks about for a second and a half, the whole plot is really not far off from The Parent Trap and Freaky Friday and their respective remakes. And I am spent.
The young dad was, and now is yet again, Zac Efron. Efron is a great-looking kid with the smug charm of a young Tom Cruise and the smile of a young Brad Pitt, and what seems comedic chops to rival either of those aforementioned movie stars. This is clearly his movie, not director Burr Steers’ (who directed the fabulous indie Igby Goes Down seven years ago) or even screenwriter Jason Filardi’s (who writes funny – see Bringing Down the House).
But then that what makes this small slice of Hollywood spice so appealing – Efron’s charm matched with the filmmakers’ latent cynicism. Everyone involved, including Efron, appears to know they’re making fluff designed for 13-year-old girl scouts spent of episodes of High School Musical and aching another Hannah Montana film only one week after its release. All this makes the moments in which Steers offers winks at the viewers, such as the oddly long and well-choreographed light saber fight scene between Efron and sidekick Thoman Lennon or the countless accusations by Efron’s wife and daughter that he reminds them of their husband/father. There is actually a moment in which Michelle Trachtenberg says to Efron, “what are you my father?!”
This kind of irony works on two levels – one for those who we’ll simply enjoy the actual irony of the father being the same age as his daughter and for those who recognize the stupidity of this gimmick, realizing that the filmmakers are in the latter group with them.
And Efron plays “father kid” impressively well. Apparently, the young actor can sing, dance and (quite possibly) act. There is a scene in this in which he cries, and it’s convincing. I didn’t mock it after. Honestly, I mocked nothing in this film afterwards because I had a good time watching it.
Lennon is given sufficent screen time to play the comedic supporting role, further proving his worth as a feature film funny guy. Likewise, Leslie Mann plays the wife with her usual panache, mincing awkward reactions to Efron’s odd behavior with comforting candid moments concerning her broken relationship.
Sure some awkward jokes don’t hit at parts but they are spread out nicely so as not to deflate the film. Absurd things happen more or less consistently, but then you didn’t go to see this thing for it’s realistic depiction of high school – at least I hope not.
The end, it turns out, is the roughest part of the movie but by then it’s rather unimportant. And before viewers get the alloted time to remember that they should hate that millions can be spent in Hollywood solely to make a movie star, Matthew Perry cracks a joke and the credits role and the 105 minutes of 17 Again will be remembered as fun and Efron supremely charming and good looking. And certainly star-worthy.
7 out of 10
What do you think? Did you see this film? Do you plan to?