Griff's GUIDE: August 2010

Here is a movie that I was definitely curious to see this summer. Zac Efron shocked us all by doing a great job as Mike in the surprisingly hilarious teen comedy 17 Again. That movie definitely gave Zac some props with me deeming him talented regardless of his teen pop image. My complaint prior to actually seeing the movie was that the trailer showed pretty much the entire movie. However, I gave it a chance and hoped for a secret plot twist that would redeem the advertisement. Don't get me wrong, there was one aspect that was considered to be this plot twist but while watching, it was easy to guess where the movie was going to take you.

The Good: I have to say Zac did do a great job, however, the movie did not redeem his performance. Looking like a stud as always and bringing the tragic drama necessary to the role, Zac was convincing as the heart broken sibling experiencing the journey of losing a brother. He definitely left me and my friends shedding some tears after his dramatic display during the car accident and funeral. The character who played his Aussie best friend who worked with him at the grave yard was the comedic relief necessary to ease up the constant depression throughout the film. Also, James Franco's, too me identical, brother made his first big role debut in this film and it was fun watching him begin his own career. The site locators for the film did a great job bringing to life the picturesque town where the story takes place.

The Bad: The love interest in the movie for Zac is the adventurous sailor girl Tess. The girl they chose to play the part was a bit of a disappointment. She was not exactly the cutest girl which at times unfortunately was a bit distracting and did not convince me into liking her during her performance which was very important for the movie. And man that horn that signaled the meeting time for Zac to meet his brother definitely got annoying as the film progressed.

The Ugly: The story plot overall was choppy, confusing and at times awkward. SPOILER ALERT! After Zac and Tess have dinner, Tess leaves quickly out of no where and all you hear is a creepy whisper saying come find me. This random sequence of events leads to Zac and Tess having sex in a grave yard. Creepy? Definitely. The reason the plot was so choppy was due to the lack of development concerning each character. Zac is so depressed after the loss of his brother, however, prior to his death Zac treats him like an annoyance and you never get to see the special bond they should have shared until after he dies. The development between Zac and Tess is so fast paced that it even further contributes to the confusion of the movie. At the beginning it is apparent that the two went to high school together and Tess had a large crush on Zac throughout highschool, however, he never noticed her at all and out of no where he finally just notices her five years later. It is unrealistic and has the audience feeling a lack of true chemistry between the characters. It is apparent that Tess's sailing coach plays a large role in her life, however, none of their interaction is truly conveyed and at the climax, his involvement seems random. Also, the most bizarre character underdevelopment was the mother. At the beginning of the movie, an ideal family picture is set. A mother who loves her kids and pulls double shifts to provide for her family is represented. After her son dies, however, she is never seen again and leaves Zac all alone in the town to provide for himself. I thought this portrayal was confusing. Overall, the narrative was slow and at times extremely creepy which is definitely not a good thing when describing a dramatic love story.

I give this movie a C.