Opening with the fitting quote “I get knocked down, but I get up again” (attributed to Vince Lombardi instead of the British pop band Chumbawamba), Intramural is the kind of movie you have to be, quite frankly, in the mood for. I’m not sure what that takes (either lots of weed and beer or both), but it may be a hit Alamo Drafthouse’s lone Colorado location, where you can legally prepare for the experience.
Seeing it sober in a press screening room I must report the mood was, well, dull. I suppose if parody humor works for you, you may find Intramural to be a hilarious experience, and certainly some lines land, but the majority of jokes simply try too hard. This is made clear from moment one as two stoners (Jay Pharaoh and DC Pierson) provide commentary from an empty row of bleachers.
Written by Bradley Jackson and directed by Andrew Disney, this is a very different kind of Texas football movie, complete with allusions to the most brilliant terrible movie of all-time, Tommy Wiseau’s The Room. Its jokes might land for fans of alternative comedy, including a few solid one-liners, but ultimately it’s too broad and one-note, lacking the subversive brilliance of Trey Parker and Matt Stone (despite ripping off several gags from their works, including the obligatory self-aware training montage).
Our hero Caleb (Jack Lacy) has given up intramural sports to focus on his studies and the fifth-year senior is studying for his LSATs with dreams of marrying his sweetheart Vicky (Kate McKinnon). His five-year plan is mapped out; Vicky, who reveals she only wears blood diamonds, has a rich dad who promises Caleb a job after law school.
Tempted to get the band back together, he does so, enlisting his old team which, if you seen Varsity Blues, you can imagine what they’re like. Along with a tough-as-nails coach Grant Rosenphallus (Nick Kocher) they take on rival team the Titians led by the aptly named Dick (Beck Bennett). Adding fuel to the fire, Caleb falls in love with Meredith, an associate director of intramural activities who just happens to be Dick’s sister; she’s played radiantly by Nikki Reed. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen the actress on screen, but here she proves she’s a lovely, viable romantic lead in a comedy unworthy of her presence.
Intramural lands a few laughs, but ultimately fumbles. I contend the parody genre is the hardest one to do well but it has been done well. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story remains for me a contemporary gold standard, while Intramural plays like something curiously dated. Perhaps if we transferred it to 35mm, bleached it a bit, and presented it as a lost 80’s comedy I might warm to it, but in the year 2014 it’s completely unnecessary. If presented to me on “Funny or Die,” I know what my vote would be.
Intramural premiered at Tribeca Film Festival.