Never ‘Again’
Last night I finally got to hang out with my dear friends Steph and Alek who, due to various circumstances, I haven’t seen in too many weeks and we mostly had a great time together. We met up for dinner at 8oz. Burger Bar on Melrose for some amazing burgers (duhvs) and then chilled out at their place for a bit while we waited for Darion to meet us (David stayed home to rebuild his computer that had to be wiped after it got infected with a virus). En masse we made our way to the ArcLight to see the Zac Efron movie 17 Again … which, it turns out, was a terrrrrrible mistake:
I really loved the Tom Hanks film Big when it was released back in the late 80’s so I was really looking forward to this retelling of the tale. I can’t say that I was really surprised at how disappointing the film was but considering it was the #1 movie the weekend it opened, I figured there’d be some redeeming charm or value in it. Not so. The whole thing was pretty much a piece of garbage. The plot was stupid, the acting was laughable and the writing was deplorable. I think the movie was supposed to be funny … or something? Yeah, I don’t recall laughing at a single joke. The only part that I thought was reasonably funny was when the friend character and the principal were speaking Elvish during their date. As much as Zac Efron is Hollywood’s fave prettyboy I didn’t really like him in this movie. I can’t really place all of the blame on him, tho, since the script was just horrible. I usually can find the best even in the worst scenarios but there wasn’t a thing I liked in this film. Sorry Zac fans, I just hated it.
And I must state for the record that it was Steph’s idea that we see the film.
No plans yet for today … we’ll prolly keep it simple. I’m totally amped for the Detroit Red Wings vs. Anaheim Ducks hockey game at the Honda Center tomorrow night … that’s really all I can think about right now.
Tags: '17 Again'
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May 4th, 2009 at 11:56 am
I tend to be a pretty rough movie critic and for what is was supposed to be it was good. It was supposed to be a teeny bopper movie!!! I almost always agree with trent but this time…sry
May 4th, 2009 at 11:57 am
LOL, i love you making it clear it wasn’t your idea to see it, Trent :) Your conscience has been cleared!
May 4th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
I heard the same thing. I am suprised you didn’t go and see Wolverine??
May 4th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
@Mr. Gyllenhaal — Saw ‘Wolverine’ on Friday night, thought it was just OK: http://www.pinkisthenewblog.com/2009/05/wolverine-begins/
May 4th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
It was SO INCREDIBLY CREEPY! With the whole statutory rape vibe with the mom and daughter falling in love with him… Maybe teens don’t think things through enough to realize it’s TOTALLY CREEPY but it was not ok!
May 4th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
You are going to the game? Totally jealous!!
Please feel free to slap osgood upside his head for me!
May 4th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Trent, I kinda agree with you, only for me, Zac WAS a redeeming feature! :)
The scene where Zac cries…I was totally uncomfortable, in fact that was how I felt pretty much for the whole film, and I’m 21!
All the teenies were raving about it on the way out of the theatre though…
May 4th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Are you going to the game? That will be a good one, especially after the 3 overtimes yesterday!
May 4th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Isn’t Tom Lennon in this? was he funny at least?
May 4th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
It’s a remake of 18 again with George Burns and Charlie Schlater not Big.
May 4th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
Aww, I loved the movie. Sure it was silly, but I had a great time watching. I’m not even a Zac Efron fan and i developed a crush on him during the movie.
May 4th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
@Rome — It’s ‘Big’ in reverse
May 4th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
I just loved seeing Matthew Perry back in action. Oh, how I miss his Chandler Bing days. Thank God that I have all the Seasons on DVD!!!
May 4th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
So weird, Trent. We usually have similar tastes in movies. I saw it this weekend too, and I loved it. I laughed my tail off. Silly, funny, and it made me a Zac Efron fan.
May 4th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
didnt think it was THAT bad…kinda extra b*tchy today arent you trent? :)
May 4th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
Totally disagree…I laughed from beginning to end of the movie. Actually made me an Efron fan….
May 4th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
gasp! i thought the movie was way cute.
May 4th, 2009 at 1:56 pm
as someone already pointed out, 17 again it is in no way a re make of big. it is not even at all similar to big. i would say that maybe 13 going on 30 is a remake of big.
May 4th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
@sp — not bitchy at all. my opinion that the film is terrible has nothing to do with bitchiness.
May 4th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
@laree — just curious, what exactly did you laugh at specifically?
May 4th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
@Chrissy — as I mentioned, it’s Big in reverse.
May 4th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
I thought it was really cute! I was actually surprise at how little I didn’t hate it, but then again I went in with really low expectations. It made me a Zac fan!
May 4th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
I usually agree with you too, but I gotta say I thought this was a great movie! Yes it was cheesy and has been done (probably better in other movies), but I loved it. It reminded me why I thought Zac Efron was a cutie in the first High School Musical. I thought he did a great job and I was really starting to think he was overrated. I saw it last night and just left the theatre feeling so nice– my husband thought the same thing and he usually doesn’t like stuff like this. I will say though that I needed some kind of nice fluff after watching Seven Pounds on Saturday. What a terrible movie!
May 4th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Whatt. Your crazy. It was not that bad. It definitely wasn’t as good as they made it out to look but it was cute and funny, and if the only part you found funny was the elf speaking maybe that says something about your sense of humor..
May 4th, 2009 at 2:57 pm
I liked it. It did have its creepy moments, but overall I enjoyed it. And I’m too old to be a Zac fan (well, too old to admit it anyway…LOL)
May 4th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
I agree with the others, this movie was cute! The cast was funny and Zac was too.
May 4th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Trent – I love you but I got to go with the group on this one. Saw it this weekend b/c it was rainy and we had a tween with us so couldn’t see Wolverine or anything violent/sexy (excuses, excuses) but I thought it was cute for a teen movie. The best friend was hilarious, Zac was believable/sweet, and the requisite bully was a complete tool. Sure – it was predictable – but that is sort of comforting somehow these days! As screwed up as your life is… you can figure it out in 120 minutes and everybody will love you! Yay – happy endings – not deep but you leave with a smile on a rainy day.
May 4th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
I was under the impression that 17 Again was a take on 18 Again! starting George Burns from 1988???
May 4th, 2009 at 3:23 pm
My husband and I saw “Ghosts of Girlfriends Past”. It was my turn to pick, but I must say I really didn’t do a good job. It was a rental-worthy movie. Matthew is cute as always (and plays the same part he always does), Jennifer Garner however was not believable, and Michael Douglas? Yikes! They kept a scarf and sunglasses on him the whole time for a reason. It was a cute take on the Christmas version- past, present, future. If you are looking for a somewhat romantic, but predictable film, this would be a good one! I also rented “Bride Wars” and really liked it (again, predictable but cute)!
May 4th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
I really respect your opinion when it comes to this kind of thing, Trent, so I’ve been looking forward to see your take on the film as I am a huge Zac fan. TBH, though, I kind of agree with you. The movie was decent, but it certainly wasn’t fabulous and had Zac not been in it, I wouldn’t have seen it.
May 4th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Sorry Trent, have to say I loved the movie
May 4th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
Aww, I actually found it to be a cute movie. I mean, sure, it’s nothing Oscar-worthy, but it was still pretty light-hearted and silly, and I enjoyed it. Plus, I love Thomas Lennon! He was the main reason I saw the movie!
May 4th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
it’s not like this movie was supposed to be an oscar contender. for what it was, it was really cute, and i find zac efron really adorable and appealing! i think the acting was good and thomas lennon especially was hilarious! if there was a weak actor in the movie it was probably michelle trachtenberg, but i aint mad at her for it. lol, i think you let your dislike for zac efron ruin the movie.
May 4th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Big in reverse? Call it that Fred Savage movie, Vice Versa. :)
Enough about Efron–how did Matthew Perry look & do?
May 4th, 2009 at 7:23 pm
at 27, i’m not in any way a HSM or cast member fan, I took my best friends 12 year old daughter and had zero expectations as to how watchable this would be.
I laughed my ass off!! The guy who plays Zachs friend/fake dad had the potential to take it too far (like rob schinder in any movie) – but he didn’t and was entertaining – Sure the script was predictable, storyline unoriginal, and when the daughter hits on zach it was really uncomfortable.. not cos of the dad/daughter thing, but by just how slutty and embarrassing she was acting, but the laughs were there in plenty and it was just what was needed – 90mins of mindless entertainment to make you smile..
May 4th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
Sorry Trent, my dad and I saw it this weekend and we loved it.
It made us both LOL
May 4th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
@Kate — why are you sorry? if you liked it, rock on!!
May 4th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
i expected this movie to suck, but i ended up really liking it. i am 15, however. i did think it was a bit weird with the wole mother/daughter liking him thing. but i thought it was funny and cute.