MOVIE REVIEW: 17 Again

in A&E Reviews movie reviews by Chelsea Houston — April 19, 2009 at 8:31 pm | 4 comments

When I think Zac Efron, I think sparkly. Sparkly smile, sparkly hair and, yes, sparkly dance moves.
However, in the movie 17 Again, Efron is not the only glittery feature. With delightful cameos from comedians such as Jim Gaffigan (Hot Pocket, anyone?) and Thomas Lennon (yes, Lieutenant Jim Dangle from Reno 911), as well as random Star Wars and Lord of the Rings witticisms that would make anyone’s inner geek squeal, 17 Again serves up extra helpings of unexpected humor.

The plot has to begin somewhere and why not with Mark, a sparkly basketball-playing superstar in high school throwing away his chances at the big time to marry his pregnant girlfriend, only to realize 20 years later that he made a huge mistake in doing so…and that he’s Matthew Perry? It’s a good thing the old, wise janitor from high school provides a vortex that’s rigged for age-travel.

After getting over the shock of being 17 again, Mark decides to go to his old high school, where he makes the basketball team, gets to know the kids better and gains popular jock status. In between these fast times, Mark sees the light and feels guilty about his “what could have been” state of mind for the last 20 years and chooses to right his wrongs. These realizations ultimately determine his fate regarding his age and his family.

Plot aside, because this is a film with Zac Efron as the leading man, I anticipated encountering multiple scenes of shirtless, sweaty basketball playing, stud-strutting and plenty of “aren’t I gorgeous?” smiles. I was not let down.

Nonetheless, 17 Again leads one to wonder about the countless age-swap movies like Big, Freaky Friday, 13 Going on 30 and even The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and what they say about modern American society. For most, teen years overflow with awkward adjustments, nagging parents, impossibly long school days and drama, so why loads of movies would be made depicting these horrors is beyond me. Despite the brief chuckle lurking in the predictable “what the hell?!” moments when the leads figure out they have somehow aged backwards, the constant need to tell the same story from a “different” point of view just begs the question why. Each movie concludes the same, with the lead realizing that he or she better make some improvements and that life itself is too short.

By reliving this plot time and time again, do we as a society get any insight from these findings? Yes and no: the moral is not lost, but the entertainment value tends to overshadow reality. This is the case with 17 Again, but the recurring glimmers of comedic genius from Thomas Lennon, Jim Gaffigan and even Efron allow for more laughs and less melancholy nostalgia.

Rating: B