PUZZLE
Be a good “Role Model ” and see this movie

by noe aratani-mandiberg
STAFF WRITER

     Going into this movie, on opening night, I was afraid that it would be another one of those stupid-funny movies, when the script tries so hard to be funny that it fails. However, although it was not a great flick, “Role Models” made me laugh – out loud.

The starring duo, Seann William Scott as Wheeler and Paul Rudd as Danny, ended up working very well together.

Wheeler is a funny, happy-golucky kind of a guy and Danny off sets him perfectly as the guy who is very disillusioned with life and is pessimistic about his past and future.

On the day that Danny’s girlfriend Beth, played by Elizabeth Banks, dumps him, they end up driving the company truck up onto a school statue and get sentenced to 150 hours of community service. The organization that they go to volunteer for is called “Sturdy Wings” which is very much like the Big Brothers or Big Sisters program.

Here, they get paired with two very opposite children – opposite of Danny and Wheeler, as well as opposite of each other - and, of course, their relationships grows.

While the movie is funny and the casting was done well, the story line and ending are very predictable. Even though there are twists, the main moral of the film is typical.

The film is, however, fairly uplifting and it at least remains funny throughout. Both of the “littles” in the film - Augie, played by Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and Ronnie, played by Bobb’e J. Thompson - are funny and  perfect for their roles. Not only do they fit into the character very well, they also compliment their “big,”either Danny or Wheeler, just right. Both of the children are humorous in their own right and that wit works well with the other major characters of the film.

Viewers beware – the humor in “Role Models” is fairly derogatory. There are many jokes about drugs, race and women. Also, Ronnie, one of the kids and who is probably about twelve, swears a lot and often objectifies women.

Although these jokes may offend some, if you watch the film with an open mind and an understanding that the jokes are purely for humor, you will find yourself laughing out loud many times. Overall, the film was not great, but it is definitely worth seeing.