Old School

Late 90's films such as American Pie and Road Trip allude to the glory days of college comedies, when John Belushi was alive and the genre was still somewhat fresh. Nowadays, these films may garner box office success and be hits with younger audiences, but they just don’t match up with the originals. Old School is no different.
Director Todd Phillips tries to emulate the old campus flicks with a film that has many connections with his first major comedy, Road Trip. They’re both awful. Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell, and Vince Vaughn are three near-thirty buddies with a midlife crisis. Wilson finds out his girlfriend is a sex fiend, Ferrell’s new married life isn’t what he wants, and Vaughn pushes both of them to his new scheme. When Wilson moves into an old college frat house, Vaughn decides that they should create a fraternity that anyone can join. Wannabe- Animal House hijinks ensue.
The film, as expected, is a cheap comedy aimed at younger audiences. It does what it says, but it’s not very funny or original. Phillips uses hackneyed situations and really one-dimensional characters for a story that isn’t that interesting. The minor characters are annoying and unreal. Vaughn does well as the guy who starts the mess, but Ferrell can do much better, as his starring take in Anchorman attests. Wilson aptly handles his lead role, but this is a far cry from the heights he reached in The Royal Tenenbaums.
Ultimately, this film is a comedy that isn’t that funny, and an original story that really isn’t that original. Thankfully, it only lasts 90 minutes. I knew there was a reason I waited until now to see it.