Role Models

Danny is in a rut with his life and hates his job as a promoter of a sugar/caffeine energy drink called minotaur, while his co-worker, Wheeler, loves it. However after being dumped by his girlfriend, Danny crashes his minotaur truck into a school monument and he and Wheeler face the prospect of 30 days in jail or 150 hours of community service doing big-brother type work with disadvantaged youngsters. While Wheeler is landed with Ronny an obnoxious little 10 year old, Danny is landed with a dungeons and dragon playing geek called Augie. While neither of them hit it off with the kids at first they all eventually become friends and learn a lot of life lessons. Ahhhh!

Now, you might think that from this semi-sarcastic tone I hated it, but oh contraire, far from. I admit I had low expectations of this film that were completely smashed by the scatter-gun humour of the film. The dialogue is funny and the sarcasm bitingly funny at times, as the top line suggests. Paul Rudd is perfect as the miserable Danny and Sean William Scott is perfectly cast as the free-living, but unfortunate Wheeler.

The film manages to tread that fine line between cliché ridden schmaltz (Like 27 dresses) and refreshingly enjoyable comedies (Like Something About Mary) with a deft touch, the direction is sure footed and manages to deliver a surprise ending that I would never have guessed from how it began.

A laugh out loud comedy that exceeds expectations.