Hollywood seems to have found its niche with films glamorizing the overabundance of alcohol consumption, debauchery for the sake of comedy, humiliating situations, and a split second of sincerity to keep the film grounded. Movies portraying alcohol and the college lifestyle have been around for decades, but it seems that the new wave of reckless comedies is seeking solely to push the limits and still maintain an R rating. “The Hangover” could be credited as the innovator in this new batch of absurdity with projects like “Bridesmaids,” marketed as the female “Hangover,” and “Project X,” all following a similar formula. Now there’s another installment in the genre, “21 and Over,” which hits theaters this weekend and while it has its moments, there’s not much distinction between its predecessors.
The premise to “21 and Over” is simple: Jeff Chang (Justin Chon) is faced with a troubling dilemma when his friends Casey (Skylar Astin) and Miller (Miles Teller) force him to celebrate his 21st birthday on the night before his huge medical school interview in the morning. The plan was for a quick beer, but as we all know once the liquor starts to pour, nothing ever goes quite as planned. The birthday excursion turns into a night of not-so-subtle racism, nudity, drunk driving, shots fired, and a blatant disrespect for the human liver. Oh, and we can’t forget cross-dressing, which is apparently a must have these days.
The problem we face in modern comedies is that everyone is trying to outdo each other with obscene situations created to shock the audience. Whether it is extremely racist jokes, prolonged nudity, or graphic situations, the realm of comedy has been altered from entertaining and fun to uncomfortable. Of course, we’ll find these situations funny at the time but the longevity of these films will probably dissipate as soon as their theatrical run is over. The strength that “21 and Over” holds are the unknown leading actors that have an organic chemistry with each other. Miles Teller undoubtedly will find his place in film despite taking a bite out of Jonah Hill’s method.
This isn’t a declaration that “21 and Over” is a waste of time but there definitely needs to be a preconceived notion walking into this movie that it will provide the usual routine as far as this genre of comedy goes.
“21 and Over” is now playing in theaters.
Ben Lester (bjams11)
