All of the fun of college, none of the education.
Old School is a 2003 comedy film directed by Todd Phillips, written by Todd Phillips and Scot Armstrong, produced by The Montecito Picture Company, and distributed by DreamWorks Pictures. The film stars Luke Wilson and Will Ferrell. It was not nominated for any Academy Awards.
"We're going streaking!" - Frank Ricard
Plot
After discovering that his girlfriend is cheating on him, Mitch Martin loses everything. To get away from all the stress, he moves into a new house. When the dean of a college campus tells him that he is living on college property and has a week to move out, he teams up with his friends, Beanie and Frank, to make a new fraternity with a bunch of college students...and chaos ensues.
My Favorite Part of Old School
As with most good comedies, this movie is pretty funny. Will Ferrell is hysterical, as he tends to be in most movies. Vince Vaughn's sarcastic, straight humor works to balance out Ferrell's ridiculousness. Luke Wilson had his moments, but he can't really measure up to Ferrell and Vaughn. It really nails this raunchy genre of comedy. The dirty jokes are played very well. It has clever lines and good timing. It definitely is not the most consistent comedy, but it has a fair share of really hilarious moments.
My Least Favorite Part of Old School
I think that everything surrounding Mitch and his character, mainly the central storyline, don't really work for me. I thought that Wilson's performance was sub-par, and his character wasn't really written to be funny. One of the two main storylines is centered on him, and it just isn't compelling. Mind you, it's a comedy, so the story isn't the focus, but I just couldn't buy into it at all. His romantic plot line feels like a shoved-in afterthought to give him a bit of a character arc, and it doesn't really work. It takes away from the funny moments when they try to focus on the stuff with Mitch and his crush, Nicole.
Why Old School Worked for the Most Part
Once again, it's a funny movie. And I think that it's the kind of funny movie that works for a teenage boy. The Hangover, Todd Phillips' other movie, appeals more to adults, because it's about being hungover in Las Vegas, and that's the main comedic situation. While I've never been to college, I can find this situation funny, because I know what a college campus is and I know what a fraternity is. The film also doesn't completely rely on the comedy of the situation. It has moments that are funny even if they aren't dirty jokes. It blends physical comedy, dirty comedy, and just regular, well-timed jokes perfectly, and that's why it's a good movie.
Final Score
Old School is a somewhat generic comedy with a bad central character, but Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, and Todd Phillips really make this movie worth your time with a flurry of funny moments and great jokes.
I will go Savory here. Age range is 16+.
SWEET N' SOUR SCALE
Sweet (Great) Savory (Good)
Sour (Bad)
Moldy (Terrible)
"Old School"
Fun Factor: 8/10
Acting: 7.5/10
Characters: 6/10
Story: 7/10
Quality: 7/10
WHERE TO WATCH
Peacock: Available with premium subscription
Amazon Prime Video: Available for rent
Apple TV+: Available for rent
Directed by Todd Phillips
Rated R for strong language, strong sexual content, drinking and drug use throughout, thematic elements
Released on February 21, 2003
1 hour and 28 minutes
Luke Wilson as Mitch "The Godfather" Martin
Will Ferrell as Frank "The Tank" Ricard
Vince Vaughn as Bernard "Beanie" Campbell
Jeremy Piven as Dean Gordon Pritchard
Ellen Pompeo as Nicole
Perrey Reeves as Marisa Jones
Patrick Cranshaw as Joseph "Blue" Pulaski
Rick Gonzalez as Spanish
Jerod Mixon as Weensie
Juliette Lewis as Heidi