17 Again Movie Review

I’ve tried to give this review a little time.  I really don’t want every other sentence to be Zac Efron is so HOT.  But I’m still thinking it could turn out that way.  Let me try to hold back and get a decent review out.

Heather gushed about the screening last Monday and the ever dependent movie critic, she was right.  I was gushing about it as soon as the credits were rolling.  And no, not just about how hot Zac Efron is.

The movie basically is about a guy named Mike who gets his girlfriend pregnant in high school, gives up a basketball career to raise a family and grows to resent his wife.  Twenty years later they’re divorcing and he wishes he could do it all over again.  He gets his wish and is put back in his 17 year old body.  He thinks he’s been given his chance to be 17 again only to learn he was sent back to save his family.  His older daughter is dating the uber popular but bully basketball star while his younger son is the recipient of his bullying.  He poses as the new guy in school and helps them through their troubles as their new friend.  And not to mention he wins his wife back in the process.

Well, let me tell you.  It sounds a little campy but it was a fantastic movie.  Here are my thoughts:

• Zac (yes, because we’re on a first name basis) said in an interview that this was a transitional movie for him and I couldn’t agree more.  At 17 he is a popular, confident basketball player that apparently can dance too.  And yes, he does even get out on the basketball floor and does a dance with the cheerleaders.   Sound familiar? But then you see him playing a 37 year old the rest of the movie and he honest to goodness was believable.
• His best friend played by Thomas Lennon (I Love You, Man; Hancock; Reno 911!) was absolutely hilarious.  Him and Zac were a great comedic pairing.  The “You look like Clay Aiken” line was one of my favorites. And paired up with Melora Hardin (Jan from The Office) was gold.
• Zac’s character Mike being 17 Again and in his family’s life made for some well, interesting dynamics.  On the one hand, he’s fighting for his daughter telling her how much more she’s worth than her current boyfriend and she ends up falling for Mike.  You were plastered to the back of your chair at times when the two of them were together going “Ewwwww!”  Which was odd because there is Zac, hot guy himself, with a beautiful teenage girl and you’d think they would be the two you’d be rooting for but you can imagine how awkward those scenes were.  And then there is Mike with his wife.  Except now he’s 17 again and he looks JUST LIKE he did when he was 17.  His wife is automatically drawn to him and in one scene they end up dancing and almost kissing.  On one hand you’re rooting for them because he’s winning his wife back but part of you is weirded out because she’s 20 years older than him.  And then ANOTHER part of you is cheering because OMG Zac is with someone 20 years older than him.  RAWR, where’s my cougars at??

All that to say, it’s a funny, heart-warming, clean movie that you should go see!