Alec Baldwin Steals Teen Comedy Away From Teens

by Jason R. Hewlett

The latest film from the comedic duo of Peter and Bobby Farrelly, the men responsible for such balls-out comedies such as "There's Something About Mary," "Kingpin," and "Dumb and Dumber" is a bit of a disappointment. It's not so much that it's a bad movie more than it's an unoriginal coming of age comedy that's more coming of age than it is comedy.

The film, directed and cowritten by Michael Corrente from a screenplay by the Farrelly Brothers (which in turn is based on Peter Farrelly's book of the same name), follows the story of Tim, played by Shawn Hatosy. Tim is sent to a strict boarding school by his tough father (Alec Baldwin) after an incident involving a collision with a police cruiser and alot of pot smoking. If Tim doesn't graduate, he goes to jail. While trying to save his grades he also has time to woo the local hottie Jane Weston (the woo-able Amy Smart) and engage in rebellious behavior with the local outcasts.

The film is more serious in tone than the Farrelly Brother's previous films. I'm not sure if it's the influence of Michael Corrente or that Farrelly's book is just more drama than comedy. Most of the film works well on the teen drama level, it's just that we keep waiting for the gross-out gags and wild humor we've come to associate with these two brothers. There are a few funny moments to be sure but, as I've said before, there's nothing more disappointing than a comedy that doesn't deliver.

However the film does have a true shining point in the form of Alec Baldwin's down and out dad. Baldwin has always been funny during his hosting duties on "Saturday Night Live" and I've always felt that he is better suited to comedic roles than the usual dramatic one's he's associated with. Here he's both funny and touching as a husband and father coming to terms with his wife's suicide year's before. I hope he takes more roles like this. Because of him, and the film's few moments of comedy, the film gets a passing mark.

5.5 out of 10!