Spring Break
'17 Again' mediocre, yet good for family laughs
By: Megan Clark
Issue date: 4/27/09 Section: News
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"17 Again" revolves around Mike O' Donnell, a man who gave up his high school dreams of being a collegiate basketball star when his girlfriend told him she was pregnant. Older Mike, played by Matthew Perry, gets a chance to do it all again when a suspicious janitor at his children's school catches him trying to relive his glory days.
Reincarnated as a 17-year-old Efron, Mike - who assumes the alias Mark Gold - analyzes the reasons behind this new opportunity and realizes it is really the lives of his children and wife he is supposed to influence. He had been an inactive dad and an almost-divorced husband, and he comes to terms with the classic lesson of what is most important in life: rekindling relationships with his children and wife.
The script, while predictable, is nonetheless enjoyable. It is lighthearted and well-written, but not exactly destined for award nominations. The start of the movie seems to overwhelm itself in the cheesy factor with unsophisticated dialogue, but the storyline picks up as the plot thickens.
Toward the middle of the movie, the film begins to bear an odd resemblance to a random combination of "The Kid," "Freaky Friday" and "The Mask." The idea of meeting the younger you is, of course, nothing new to the film industry. The use of going through portals that change time and age forces further comparisons of this movie to others.
"17 Again" lacks originality, but the audience can find pleasure in respectable acting, a humorous script and a lesson that everyone could use a refresher course in.
When approaching the cast, I tried to separate Efron from the stereotype of his Disney past. I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt and allow him the chance to prove himself a talented actor. Yet casting Efron as the lead still allows the audience to continuously compare the movie with his usual roles.
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