PAGE 32 - KANATA KOURIER-STANDARD - MARCH 28, 2008

News & Community REEL REVIEWS

2 OUT OF 5 STARS

Too many plot holes in Drillbit Taylor flick

KATIE BRADFORD

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High school is not always a fun experience; youre awkward, gangly, scared. did I mention awkward? Nerds make great movies though, and if Superbad is any example, theyre also a cash cow. Superbad writer Seth Rogen (alongside Krisofor Brown) and comedy-big shot producer Judd Apatow, with the help of Mr. Deeds director Steven Brill, are bringing audiences yet another band of misfits with a twist. Drillbit Taylor follows two best friends, Wade (Nate Hartley) and Ryan (Troy Gentile) as they begin their high school careers. Unfortunately, two bullies pick them as their favourite targets. Ringleader Filkins (Alex Frost) and his buddy Ronnie (Josh Peck) beat them up, humiliate them and generally make their lives a living hell. In order to deal, these kids decide to hire a bodyguard. What they get is a homeless conman, Drillbit Taylor (Owen Wilson). In an

KATIE BRADFORD attempt to protect them, Drillbit impersonates a substitute teacher and finds that hed rather hit on cute teacher Lisa (Leslie Mann) than help the kids out. There are several problems with the film. First of all, with such amazing talent signed on (including the endorsement of Judd Apatow) I was expecting a lot better. Indeed, even when watching the film it became evident that the young talent of Gentile and Hartley, as well as fellow nerd David Dorfman (aka the creepy kid in The Ring) was almost outdoing the seasoned Wilson in many scenes. In fact, Wilson is very disappointing in this film. He

falls back on old lines and old style, providing nothing new, exciting or hilarious. The weight of Wilson's August 2007 attempted suicide is perhaps shining through into the character of Drillbit. While I dont find it a stretch at all to think of administrators turning a blind-eye, or failing to properly punish bullying, I find it hard to believe that one boy with no discipline or parents could terrorize an entire school (including performing acts of blatant emotional, physical and even sexual abuse) and never be punished. The way he smiles his way out of trouble is completely ridiculous. Additionally, I find it hard to believe that a principal would ignore three young boys who claim that said bully attempted to run them down with his car, or threatened to kill them with a samurai sword. While I think that rooting for the underdog is a welcome concept in movies, Drillbit Taylor doesnt empower the nerd but rather makes light of some situations which I found whole-

heartedly unfunny. This is the age of school shootings, people, and some areas should be tread on a little more delicately. Interestingly, the bully in this film, Alex Frost, plays a school shooter in the chilling, Columbine inspired Gus Van Sant film Elephant (2003) and Josh Peck, his sidekick, plays a young bully whose victims turn on him with tragic consequences in the excellent Mean Creek (2004). Something tells me this casting isnt an accident. It makes me very disappointed in Apatow, and makes me hate the film even more. Taking actors who portrayed characters who pay the ultimate price for teenage torment and then casting them as the perpetrators in a terrible comedic perspective on similar behaviour is sickening. Also, no one seems to point out the added freakfactor: Owen Wilson, a homeless criminal and grown man, only had to put on a suit and hold a schedule to be instated as a substitute teacher in the school. Creepy? More than a little bit. Funny? Not so much.

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