Irreverence

I have not watched a movie with absolutely no redeeming qualities in a damn long time. And by "no redeeming qualities" what I mean to say is a movie that is not a SERIOUS FILM. Most of the time when it we get ready to put movies in the Netflix queue, we opt for TV programs instead. For whatever reason, we go through those so much faster. We can watch a disc of a TV drama in a couple of days, whereas a movie can sit unwatched for 2 weeks. And when we do get an actual movie, it's usually something that has been an award winner or something that was nominated for an award.

But when I saw that Role Models was being released on DVD yesterday, I just knew that I had to see it. I bypassed it when it was in its initial run. Even though when Paul Rudd was doing the publicity for the movie, he sealed his eternal coolness by dancing on the Daily Show, 9 dollars is still a lot of money for a fluff movie. I even missed it at the dollar theater, but you really have to act fast because those movies, much like Glinda, come and go so quickly.

So I timed my Netflix return just right so that I would maximize my chances of getting a new release the day it came out. Otherwise, it would be a good two weeks before the "short wait" availability turned into a "now." Well, it worked and Heidi and I watched Role Models in its entirety while Anna played The Sims 2 in my office. Good thing because it's totally not kid appropriate. Not even close. After watching it, I decided that it is the kind of movie that would have run 150,000 times on USA Network on Friday and/or Saturday nights in the 90s.

But I say that like it's a bad thing. IT'S NOT.

Let me just say this. This ain't Shakespeare, but it doesn't have to be. Basic premise is that Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott, playing guys who you definitely don't want being mentors to kids, do 150 hours of community service at a place that matches up kids to adult mentors. You can imagine the calamity that ensues. Well, actually, you can't, but yet somehow, you can. The funniest thing about this movie is how it was less about good writing and funny jokes and more about putting characters in situations and having them do inappropriate things. Sometimes, the writing was painfully bad. Never mind that though. Mostly, we laughed our asses off.

I don't think that Heidi and I have laughed that hard at a movie since I-don't-know-when. Even after it was over, we were quoting it. It was completely irreverent and over the top but also, believe it or not, a little bit sweet. Of course, you have to have the life lesson that is taught in the movie, but that's called character development and if you don't have it then why the hell are you telling the story?

My biggest criticism of the movie is the overabundance of gay jokes, which I really have zero tolerance for. I am so sick and tired of the "that's so gay." It's not about me not having a sense of humor. It is about those particular kinds of jokes not being funny while also managing to be completely offensive. We'll look back on how freely we told those kinds of jokes now in 25 years and be embarrassed. It'll be the equivalent of how I cringe at racial stereotypes and jokes on "Maude" (which I am currently watching on DVD as well.)

But it was still a great diversion, one that we really needed. Paul Rudd is a great comedic actor and even though Seann William Scott has been playing Stifleresque characters for most of his career, he was still pretty funny. He also, I swear, looks just like my college roommate.

Role Models - totally worth a rent. Just leave me the crock pot. You know I like chili.