Role Models: Review By Rama's SCREEN

Saying you’re a big fan of ROLE MODELS doesn’t necessarily mean you’re also a big fan of every crude comedy that’s been on the big screen lately, because the difference is.. ROLE MODELS actually has a good story that’s not about romance but about… what it means to be responsible grown ups and to be an example for the kids who find it tough convincing those around them that they’re just as cool as anyone else. This movie is funny and surprisingly profound, Paul Rudd and Sean William Scott are the new hilarious dynamic duo and this is definitely one of my favorite movies of the year.

The problem is with Walk Hard or Zack and Miri Make a Porno is that they meant to deliver some good story but instead they seem like they’re not putting thoughts into it and to compensate the situation, they’d just throw in random crude, sexual humor, including shots of penises,just for the heck of it without realizing how they could compliment the characters or the scene at hand. ROLE MODELS doesn’t seem like it needs to try too hard to impress anyone, it already does so by the characters created in this movie that would get you laughin’ even if they don’t do so much. It takes 4 writers including Paul Rudd himself, to come up with this. It’s got laugh-out-loud moments where some of the characters would, without realizing it, say some unlikely lines or innuendo and Paul Rudd’s character would response by showing an akward face expression. The movie’s not too raunchy and you’re gonna wanna see it again and again.

Paul Rudd who’s always been supporting actor is now a decent leading man, he plays Danny, an depressed dude who think everything’s crap and so he’d say some discouraging words to those around him to drag everybody down with him,.. but his way of doing that, in my opinion, is not exaggerated, in fact it’s along the line of what any depressed person would say and do. Sean William Scott plays your typical Sean William Scott character again, named Wheeler, an irresponsible adult who’s holds the KISS philosophy: rocknroll all night and party everyday but he does have a keen sense when it comes to being a playa, a skill that he chooses to pass on to the kid that he’s court ordered to mentor. Some may think that Danny’s mentoring has better moral value than Wheeler’s style of mentoring, because Wheeler’s involves female boobies.. but Wheeler understands that that is the sort of thing that Ronnie is into, so rather than letting Ronnie grow up grabbing women’s boobs, he trains the kid on how to talk women, by complimenting them and looking at their eyes instead of straight to the boobies. At the same time, both Danny and Wheeler finally understands the’ve been selfish all this time, one is too focused on the wackness of his life instead of the bright side, and the other is too focused on fulfilling his own pleasures. All that those kids need is someone to be their friend, they’re not looking for someone to fix them,.. but someone to hang out in the same turf that they’re in.

The supporting actors make memorable characters and are just as hilarious as the those two leads. By the way, that kid Ronnie, played by Bobb’e Thompson is a riot, nothing’s more hilarious than a little kid who can curse up a storm. Christopher “McLovin’” Mintz-Plasse might as well have a Phd in being the most likeable geek in town. The trophy however goes to actress Jane Lynch who cracks you up in every gig that she’s ever been in (A Mighty Wind, The Rocker, Smiley Face) in this movie she plays a the head of STURDY WINGS, which is a spoof on organizations like Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Her character is a former addict and she tends to confuse you with every word that comes out of her mouth. She says the darndest things that will make you laugh so hard you’re gonna beg for more. Her performance is priceless!

Some might consider the ending a bit too cute borderline cheesy for its league but I think it still falls appropriately along the line of silliness that’s followed this movie from the beginning parts to the very end. Overall, ROLE MODELS may not be for everyone.. but it oughta be :)