This might be the most embarrassing review I will ever write, but
you know what is satisfying? A rom-com. With extra com. Just a
good old formulaic rom-com, wherein a dude gets in trouble with the old
lady, and then he comes up with a kookaburra scheme to win her back,
and then someone gets kicked in the testicles and johnson, and then
dude’s scheme kind of works, but then he blows it, and then he almost
has to make out with his own teenage daughter, and then dude escapes
and is redeemed and everyone kisses (only minus the incest this time).
Good stuff. Good, stupid stuff.
You can see the finish line from the opening credits of 17
Again—in which Matthew Perry (paunchy, gargoylish), after a
run-in with Brian Doyle-Murray the Magic Janitor, transforms into his
17-year-old self, Zac Efron, for a second chance at success—but
the predictability doesn’t matter one bit. And the reason it doesn’t
matter is two fold:
(1) It isn’t trying to matter. It’s a movie
about Matthew Perry being transformed into his 17-year-old self, played
by Zac Efron, who then almost has to make out with his own daughter. Do
I have to say it again? And (2) Zac Efron (whom I once referred to as
“Olivia Newton Efron,” for which I am so kind of sorry) is a
COMEDIC MASTERMIND. Also, hot. (Just watching the dude walk around is
miraculous, and he is 21 now, which means that I am not even very
creepy.)
According to some fluffy entertainment-news wire sent to me by a
publicist, Efron, the consummate professional, “picked up on Perry’s
mannerisms, like his habit of putting his hands in his pockets.” (Ah
yes, the signature Perry Hands-in-Pockets.) But, weirdly, it works.
Efron’s studied Perry impression has made him into a legitimately funny
person. And that, combined with a light, self-aware script and a
supporting performance from Thomas Lennon (“Are you now or have you
ever been a Norse god, vampire, or time-traveling cyborg?”), turns
17 Again from a guilty pleasure into an actually enjoyable
movie. I can’t believe I’m saying that, but it’s true. It’s true! 
The first 3/4 of the first sentence got it right.
Britney reviews and now this. The Stranger just keeps descending.
I’m going to have to see this, because my best friend loves Zac Efron, and I’ll watch Tom Lennon do anything.
Sick of it, you must have really jostled that stick up your ass when you woke up this morning. And don’t even try to go all ‘red herring’ on me, because I been studying up on my logical phallusies. Later dudes.
I was shocked by how well I ended up liking this, and I haven’t enjoyed a movie that could be considered both “romantic” and “a comedy” since Juno.
I’m sorry, but I went to see it and it was actually very enjoyable! Zac is actually a very good actor, and I cannot wait to see him in more mature roles, haha. :p
Maybe it was the mood I was in at the moment of seeing, I’m not sure. I do know he is very damn good looking. Plus, I enjoy a lot of corny movies. 🙂
Mickey, I totally agree.
I’m reluctantly becoming a fan of Zac Efron. I feel a little uncomfortable just writing the words! I thought he was just another talentless pretty-boy plucked from obscurity to command loyalty from the tween fan base.
Until I saw him on SNL a week ago. He took a truly mediocre show and turned it right around. By his last sketch, I was mesmerized by how tight his t-shirt stretched across his pecs. Um, what?
I’m glad to find that he’s actually a talented pretty boy who has excellent comedic timing. Hopefully we’ll see much more of him in comedy roles.
He looks like an alien. Or, I’m completely straight. Not sure which.