****
DVD Release
After catching the criminals and
wreaking havoc whilst undercover at a high school, Schmidt and Jenko are
assigned to a new case in a college. Their task is the same: go undercover;
seek out the drug dealers; and prevent other students from using the substance,
all whilst being as inconspicuous as possible…
I hold my hands up, dear readers:
I do not seek out, or particularly enjoy, comedy. I would rather watch hours of
suffering, death, despair and general gloom than sit through the latest
rom-com, the latest frat-boy film, or a gross-out comedy… And yet, I found
myself laughing out loud multiple times during 22 Jump Street. With exactly the same premise as the first, our
heroes have switched headquarters (moving across the street to 22, Jump Street
after being evicted from 21, Jump Street), and must now infiltrate the
dangerous world of college to find the drug dealers. The scriptwriters and
director know they are repeating themselves, and are knowing self-depreciating,
stating ‘Yes, this is exactly the same as before’, making numerous references
to funding and the unexpected success of the first outing. Hill and Tatum are
back as our unlikely duo, this time going through a difficult stage in their
relationship as they meet new people and consider different paths. Once again,
this is a blatant mickey-take of all the overly-dramatic one-liners we have
suffered through in romance movies, and it is well done. Tatum should be
applauded for his excellent comic timing, whilst Hill once again proves that he
is a reliable comedic actor when provided with a decent script and a partner to
bounce off. It is, of course, completely ridiculous: the final act is so
bizarre and wacky that it feels as though the writers themselves had partaken
in the use of some of the drugs available on screen, but it is wholly
enjoyable.
Despite laughing consistently throughout,
I do have some minor niggles to discuss. Maya’s roommate Mercedes (Jillian
Bell) is an extremely poor character – she isn’t funny, and none of her lines
are witty or remarkable. Her depiction as an up-tight, sexually inexperienced
and overweight women feels cheap, and the decision to give her such a dirty
mouth isn’t amusing or smart, but rather disappointing. Similarly, her fight
scene with Jonah Hill’s character is wholly awkward and unnecessary. As with
most comedies from America these days, I find it hard to get on board with the
sheer amount of swearing, but as the majority of the script is really rather
witty and self-aware, I wasn’t as aware of it as in other films.
Now, for the moment of truth: I
haven’t seen 21 Jump Street, but
based on the strength of this film (and sequels are rarely as good as the
first), I will definitely be seeking it out. This is perhaps the greatest praise
I can heap upon this film, as I actively avoid films described as ‘hilarious’, ‘outrageously
funny’ and ‘laugh-out-loud funny’. Of course, it isn’t perfect and had I not
been weary from hours of travel, I perhaps wouldn’t have found it as engaging
and as amusing as I did, but I still chuckle at the memory of it three days
later.
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