Old School (2003)

The critic notes that enjoyment depends on finding Will Ferrell's antics funny and praises the disconnect between what the male characters say and do for adding pathos. Vince Vaughn stands out as the ideal poster boy for the happily whipped.

This early romp from Todd Phillips is a spirit-lifting scream and a well-scripted frat-boy flick with a twist that is hard not to warm to. Vaughn and Ferrell are singled out as natural clowns whose combined chemistry elevates it beyond an Animal House carbon copy.

The review describes it as a slickly made but unmemorable kinder, gentler Animal House that is less fresh than the director's prior Road Trip. It singles out the strong pacing and song choices as brighter spots amid mostly forced humor.

The film starts with promise in its first half through funny set-pieces and a look at male attitudes to ageing but quickly loses steam with underdeveloped sub-plots. It is redeemed somewhat by strong comic turns from Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrell but falls short of its Animal House ambitions, remaining a harmless and intermittently funny comedy.

The critic finds guaranteed deplorable taste in this frat-boy comedy about three sad thirty-somethings trying to relive college days. Vince Vaughn provides the laughs, but the rest is crass and broad with little else to recommend it.

The review calls the comedy sloppy and derivative of Animal House, lacking the original's refreshing bad taste. It singles out the director's self-plagiarism from his own Frat House documentary as a notable flaw.

The film is mostly in the Animal House tradition and celebrates anti-conformity, but it runs aground with a muddled, contrived ending that backs off from endorsing the heroes' antics. The cop-out resolution is disappointing given the influence of Animal House on director Todd Phillips.

The critic questions why the frat comedy is not funnier or more outrageous despite the cast's efforts and some humiliating set pieces. The girlfriends' blowjob class is singled out as a gory highlight, but the film overall lacks heart.

The critic finds the film unfunny overall despite a few decent scenes and Will Ferrell's work as a compulsive nudist. It recycles the familiar story of fun-loving guys versus a disapproving dean without strong characterization or continuity.

The critic finds the premise promising but the execution lackluster, with broad slapstick and awkward earnestness replacing humor and pathos, plus sloppy editing that makes the film feel incomplete.

The critic finds the film immature and unfunny, dismissing it as 'American Pie for daddies' that thinks boys never grow up. He singles out the lead performances for complaint, noting that Luke Wilson has only two expressions, Will Ferrell is over-the-top, and Vince Vaughn is wasted in the role.