"Born to Be 'Wilder'"
by Scott Mantz

"National Lampoon's
Van Wilder"
Ryan Reynolds, Tara Reid
Directed by Walt Becker

Hey Bulldog! Ryan Reynolds shares a moment with his well-endowed pooch in "National Lampoon's Van Wilder"

Write this down...

If you're looking for an outrageous comedy to take your mind off your problems and make you laugh 'til it hurts, then "National Lampoon's Van Wilder" is the movie for you. Not only does the charming, good-natured teen romp actually top the original "American Pie" in terms of tasteless humor and gut-busting hilarity, but it also gives a much-needed facelift to the aging National Lampoon franchise (the once-reliable brand name behind cinematic classics like "Animal House" and the "Vacation" movies).

Van Wilder (Ryan Reynolds) may be about to begin his seventh year at Coolidge College, but that doesn't mean he has plans to graduate anytime soon. After all, if you love a place so much, why leave? In fact, he's so hell-bent on staying in school, that when his rich father (Tim Matheson) cuts him off, he turns his party-throwing skills into a business to pay his tuition. Wilder meets his match in the form of Gwen Pearson (Tara Reid), a super-hot journalism major who's out to expose the campus celebrity for the slacker that he is. When the ultra-cool Wilder finds the sexy reporter too hot to handle, he winds up falling in love and actually thinks about leaving his college days behind for good.

Though it's an obvious blend of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and "Animal House" (with a little bit of "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" thrown in for good measure), "Van Wilder" has so much heart and is so consistently funny, that it's easy to overlook its flaws. It falls a little short when it comes to actually telling a story, but considering that it has nothing on its syllabus except showing moviegoers a good time, it passes with flying colors. It also pushes the boundaries of tasteless humor to the point where even the kings of gross-out comedy--the Farrelly brothers--would be green with vomit...er, envy.

The ultimate success of the film lies in the very capable hands of Ryan Reynolds. Formerly of TV's short-lived "Two Guys and a Girl," Reynolds is so confident in his first lead film role, you'd swear he was--dare I say it--born to be Wilder. He may be channeling Matthew Broderick's carefree, fun-loving slacker from "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," but he makes the role his own, and it's hard not to be won over by his irresistible, star-making performance (and for what it's worth, he bares more than just a passing resemblance to actor Jason Lee).

As for the supporting players, "American Pie's" Tara Reid may be covering familiar teen comedy territory, but her sex-kitten appeal fits her character like a glove. Daniel Cosgrove seems to relish playing the part of Reid's self-absorbed, anal-retentive frat-boyfriend (even if it means being the brunt of some truly disgusting jokes), and Kal Penn is charming enough as Reynold's naive personal assistant who's out to experience what college life is all about.

The filmmakers tip their hats to teen comedies of the past by sprinkling "Van Wilder" with some of their famous supporting players--including Curtis Armstrong ("Better Off Dead," "Revenge of the Nerds"), Paul Gleason ("The Breakfast Club"), and Tim Matheson ("Animal House"). Though some of the more outrageous sight gags are blatantly lifted from other movies (particularly "American Pie," "Dumb and Dumber," and to a lesser extent, "The Hollywood Knights"), they're still pretty darn hilarious given the context in which they are used.

Be warned: "Van Wilder" is not for everyone--especially if you're not a big fan of flatulence jokes and projectile vomit sight gags. Then again, the film knows its audience, and if you're already paying for higher education anyway, then why not pay a little more and learn something new from Van Wilder? After all, with advice like "Don't take life too seriously--you'll never get out alive," you can't go wrong.

OK, stop writing...and go see this "wilder" and crazy movie!

Back to Scott's New Movie Reviews

Review Archives