Let's take a trip back in time, shall we? All the way back to August 29, 2006 when I unveiled my wildly hilarious and alarmingly accurate Weinstein Company Fall/Winter Preview. If you'll recall (and I'm sure y'all have my previews memorized), I was NOT looking forward to School for Scoundrels. For the sake of those who are too lazy to click on the link above, here are my initial assumptions:
"Sigh. Do we really need more Jon Heder movies? Plus, how good can a movie with Horatio Sanz be? My guess - not very. Ah well, Billy Bob Thornton and David Cross are in it, so maybe it has potential. Let's check out the trailer...
Huh. Is this supposed to be an unfunny 're-imagining' of Rushmore? That's certainly the vibe I'm getting. I think I laughed once, maybe twice during the trailer. Johnny's setting his expectations at LOW on this one. Can we sue the studio for including 'hilarious' in the synopsis and not delivering? FALSE ADVERTISEMENT!
Or maybe this is one of those rare films that's keeping the jokes out of the trailer and saving them for the film. Oh wait; Jon Heder and Horatio Sanz are in this, never mind."
Welp, let's examine my comments in light of the fact that I've now seen the film.
* Horatio Sanz' role is small enough for him not to do any damage (except to any chairs he sat in during the filming).
* Jon Heder still remains a one-trick circus act, and I pray I never see the guy in tighty whities again, but he's tolerable.
* David Cross' role is basically nonexistent, but the rest of the supporting cast is very good and elevates this to a level that Heder couldn't have managed on his own. Jon Glaser (the curly-haired dude from Conan O'Brien) steals every scene he's in. The movie is worth at least a rental if for nothing else other than the line, "There's no doubt in my mind that you'll be murdered." It's all in Glaser's deadpan delivery.
* Man, there's a whole lot of ugly in this movie. Juan Guzman, Horatio Sanz, Jon Heder, AND Billy Bob Thornton? They sure aren't given the ladies much enticement to see this, huh? This gives The Night Listener (Robin Williams, Toni Collette, Sandra Oh) strong competition for 2006's Ugliest Cast.
* As predicted, Billy Bob's presence does indeed help the proceedings, especially with condemnations on self-help books such as, "You can't help yourself because your self sucks." Good point.
* It does borrow the "teacher and student going after the same woman" theme found in Rushmore (and other films), but that's pretty much where the similarities end.
I'm not telling you to run out and pay full price to see it because this certainly won't appeal to everybody and I don't want anybody ganging up on me for giving this a blanket recommendation, but I will admit that it's much better than a movie with both Horatio Sanz and Jon Heder has any right to be.
There are some slow stretches, jokes that fall "Kate Moss flat," and the two leads fail to bring the movie's biggest laughs, but hey, there are laughs to be had, and that's good enough for me. If you're like many of the people who have told me, "I can't stand that Napoleon Dynamite dude" then it's probably best if you don't risk it.
THE GIST
School for Scoundrels doesn't demand to be seen on the big screen, but there are enough laughs to warrant a rental. If you insist on seeing it at the theater then make it a matinée, lower your expectations, and enjoy.
"Sigh. Do we really need more Jon Heder movies? Plus, how good can a movie with Horatio Sanz be? My guess - not very. Ah well, Billy Bob Thornton and David Cross are in it, so maybe it has potential. Let's check out the trailer...
Huh. Is this supposed to be an unfunny 're-imagining' of Rushmore? That's certainly the vibe I'm getting. I think I laughed once, maybe twice during the trailer. Johnny's setting his expectations at LOW on this one. Can we sue the studio for including 'hilarious' in the synopsis and not delivering? FALSE ADVERTISEMENT!
Or maybe this is one of those rare films that's keeping the jokes out of the trailer and saving them for the film. Oh wait; Jon Heder and Horatio Sanz are in this, never mind."
Welp, let's examine my comments in light of the fact that I've now seen the film.
* Horatio Sanz' role is small enough for him not to do any damage (except to any chairs he sat in during the filming).
* Jon Heder still remains a one-trick circus act, and I pray I never see the guy in tighty whities again, but he's tolerable.
* David Cross' role is basically nonexistent, but the rest of the supporting cast is very good and elevates this to a level that Heder couldn't have managed on his own. Jon Glaser (the curly-haired dude from Conan O'Brien) steals every scene he's in. The movie is worth at least a rental if for nothing else other than the line, "There's no doubt in my mind that you'll be murdered." It's all in Glaser's deadpan delivery.
* Man, there's a whole lot of ugly in this movie. Juan Guzman, Horatio Sanz, Jon Heder, AND Billy Bob Thornton? They sure aren't given the ladies much enticement to see this, huh? This gives The Night Listener (Robin Williams, Toni Collette, Sandra Oh) strong competition for 2006's Ugliest Cast.
* As predicted, Billy Bob's presence does indeed help the proceedings, especially with condemnations on self-help books such as, "You can't help yourself because your self sucks." Good point.
* It does borrow the "teacher and student going after the same woman" theme found in Rushmore (and other films), but that's pretty much where the similarities end.
I'm not telling you to run out and pay full price to see it because this certainly won't appeal to everybody and I don't want anybody ganging up on me for giving this a blanket recommendation, but I will admit that it's much better than a movie with both Horatio Sanz and Jon Heder has any right to be.
There are some slow stretches, jokes that fall "Kate Moss flat," and the two leads fail to bring the movie's biggest laughs, but hey, there are laughs to be had, and that's good enough for me. If you're like many of the people who have told me, "I can't stand that Napoleon Dynamite dude" then it's probably best if you don't risk it.
THE GIST
School for Scoundrels doesn't demand to be seen on the big screen, but there are enough laughs to warrant a rental. If you insist on seeing it at the theater then make it a matinée, lower your expectations, and enjoy.