LOLing out loud

By Savannah Hall

With all the great comedy movies that have been released lately, it is hard to believe they keep getting better. Role Models, starring Paul Rudd (Knocked Up, 40-Year-Old Virgin) and Seann William Scott (American Pie) keeps the laughs coming.


The movie follows Danny Donahue (Rudd) and Wheeler (Scott) as they become the best “Bigs” ever, as ordered by the court.


The pair work as spokesmen for an energy drink anti-drug program. After an unfortunate series of events, they choose community service over jail time and end up working with delinquent children as their punishment. Wheeler is paired with Ronnie (Bobb’e J. Thompson), a bundle of energy with a sailor mouth, and Donahue with Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), a geek with no social skills.


The cast of four very strong characters each take their turn to make sure the audience gets a good ab workout by the end of the movie. This is Rudd’s best performance to date and he’s no longer in the background as the weird, wise-cracking friend. He and Scott are a good duo and neither overpowers the other. There is good character development for both Donahue and Wheeler– the audience can believe what they are saying and feeling.


Scott is perfect as Wheeler and because of the character’s similarity to the one Scott played in American Pie, Stifler, tasteless jokes and all. Where Wheeler differs is his compassion, which lends itself to the moral of the story seen when all four come together to battle their demons.


Above all, Ronnie, the “Little” assigned to Wheeler, steals the show. His vulgarity is even funnier than Wheeler’s pervertedness and womanizing. His smart-aleck ways are also a great counterbalance to the shy and quiet Augie. He is not as cool as McLovin, who Mintz-Plasse played in Superbad, but he is just as geeky and lovable.


Even though the movie does verge on sappy at the end, it is still hilarious until the credits, setting it apart from other films that stop the one-liners and innuendos to teach their viewers a moral or lesson.

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