Mercifully Short Review
by Jonathan Empson

We first meet Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) as respective geek and jock teens failing to get to their high school prom. Years later, they’re unlikely partners helping each other get through police academy.

After cocking up their first arrest they’re assigned to a school undercover program run by Ice Cube, who embraces the Angry Black Captain stereotype. Their job is to return to high school posing as students in order to crack a party-drugs ring.

The case proves much less challenging than negotiating the new blurry nerd/cool categories, but they soon discover this is life giving them a second chance at growing up.

This bromance is, surprisingly, a great deal of fun, with lots of left-field humour from writer Michael Bacall (Scott Pilgrim vs the World) peppering the farce. And for a rubber-coated brick, Channing Tatum is remarkably funny.

8/10

Released March 15, 2012.

Jonathan Empson’s TV script Chromewas nominated for an AWGIE in 2010.

His recently completed historical drama-comedy feature Leonardo’s War is in circulation, and his black comedy-thriller Get Out of Here has been optioned.

He is represented by Rick Raftos Management.