The popular internet meme "How do you do, fellow kids?" actually originated as a satirical reference to the 1980s television series 21 Jump Street, infamous for its basic concept and famous for launching the career of a young Johnny Depp. Like many TV shows from the past, 21 Jump Street was remade into a feature film, but the 2012 version directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller was surprisingly different and much more refreshing than most similar efforts.
One of the film's producers was Jonah Hill, who also starred as Morton Schmidt, one of the two main protagonists. The prologue, set around 2005, shows Schmidt, a socially awkward nerd, suffering in high school, while his partner, the handsome and athletic Greg Jenko, played by Channing Tatum, has it much easier. Years later, the two men settle their differences when they're enrolled together in police academy, become friends, and help each other graduate. While partnered on street patrol, they bungle a drug arrest and, as punishment, are sent to 21 Jump Street, a special undercover officer program led by Captain Dickson (played by Ice Cube). Their task is to pose as teenagers and infiltrate a high school to discover the supplier of a new synthetic drug causing havoc among pupils. Despite initial difficulties fitting in with high school life and teenage social mores that have changed, they slowly win new friends, and Schmidt discovers romantic feelings for Molly Tracey (played by Brie Larson), which could complicate the mission.
The original television series is often deemed "cheesy" due to its basic premise, which even its nostalgic fans found ridiculous - adult policemen trying to pass as adolescent pupils in high school. Unlike the show, which played the premise straight as a serious police drama, the film's script, developed by Jonah Hill and Michael Bacall, uses it as a basis for comedy. 21 Jump Street spoofs not only the original show but also high school comedies, outlandish action films, and "buddy cop" films. The mix generally holds well, and it helps that the authors are aware of their limitations, as indicated by a few lines of dialogue that almost break the fourth wall in ironic criticisms of the whole practice of remakes and reboots.
21 Jump Street also acknowledges that times have changed, and the script provides social and cultural commentary. The protagonists discover that in the brave new world of Obama's America, at least in high school halls, quiet nerdish types like Schmitz are "cool," while once-dominant jocks like Jenko are discarded as relics of "toxic masculinity."
The film benefited from the new Hollywood comedy paradigm inspired by Judd Apatow, which became a bit more adult and abandoned PG-13 limitations. This apparent "raunchiness" is mostly in salty but innovative language, a little more violence, and plenty of depiction of drug use and its comical effects on the protagonists' psyche. The overall quality of humour is satisfactory, although the film loses a bit of steam near the end and, like many such comedies, tries to ramp up the action as some sort of compensation.
The film's diverse and enthusiastic cast leaves a lasting impression. Jonah Hill excels in portraying an unorthodox protagonist who is romantically involved with Brie Larson's character—one of her first significant roles. Larson's portrayal is refreshingly relatable; she is attractive yet somewhat plain-looking, making their pairing feel realistic rather than typical Hollywood fare.
The "buddy-buddy" dynamic with Channing Tatum works best, with Tatum delivering the best performance. The actor, who had built his career on his athletic abilities and model looks until that point, uses the opportunity to show much greater range and comedic talent that would serve him well in years to come.
21 Jump Street was well-received by critics and became a big hit. Two years later, the inevitable sequel, 22 Jump Street, defied expectations by not looking worse in comparison. There were some attempts at new sequels, reboots, and spin-offs, but so far, none have been produced for which we can be grateful. The film version of 21 Jump Street defied too many odds to risk its reputation with attempts to repeat its success.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
Blog in Croatian https://draxblog.com
Blog in English https://draxreview.wordpress.com/
InLeo blog https://inleo.io/@drax.leo
Hiveonboard: https://hiveonboard.com?ref=drax
Rising Star game: https://www.risingstargame.com?referrer=drax
1Inch: https://1inch.exchange/#/r/0x83823d8CCB74F828148258BB4457642124b1328e
BTC donations: 1EWxiMiP6iiG9rger3NuUSd6HByaxQWafG
ETH donations: 0xB305F144323b99e6f8b1d66f5D7DE78B498C32A7
BCH donations: qpvxw0jax79lhmvlgcldkzpqanf03r9cjv8y6gtmk9
Posted Using InLeo Alpha