Role Models

Role Models is the latest in a long line of 'man-child learns to grow up' comedy sub-genre favoured by current lord of funny Judd Apatow (director of Knocked Up and producer of seemingly hundreds of films, including Anchorman and Superbad). But without the Apatow branding behind it, can David Wain's film stand out on it's own terms?

Plot wise, Role Models has nothing new to offer. Danny (Paul Rudd) a man who has lost all enjoyment in life and his co-worker Wheeler (Seann William Scott), basically American Pie's Stiffler post-high school, are court ordered to enter a 'big brother' program and spend 150 hours with a couple of friendless, slightly weird kids, Ronnie (Bobb'e J Thompson) and Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse, better known as Superbad's McLovin).

If you've seen a film before (literally, any film, ever), you will almost certainly be able to predict the trajectory of the story, and you would be correct. Wain seems to recognise this and consequently Role Models doesn't even bother fleshing out the journey. Just as we expect, Wheeler and Danny end up befriending their young wards before disappointing them and finally redeeming themselves.

Rather than dwelling too much on it, Role Models just uses the skeleton of plot to hang the jokes off. And this is where the film excels. Instead of using comedic set-pieces (with the exception of a great one at the end) the jokes in Role Models mainly come through the banter of the four main actors, who have great chemistry together.

Although Scott is essentially still playing Stifler, it's a role he fits into well, keeping on the right side of charming so as not to make his womanising ways too creepy. Mintz-Plasse plays a much less self-assure, more vulnerable character than McLovin, and while the characters aren't miles apart (he is still a nerdy, awkward kid after all) it's enough of a departure to suggest he isn't going to end up being typecast in the same way Scott has.

Hopefully his role as a DIY superhero in Mathew Vaughn's upcoming Kick-Ass will provide a broader range to show off his acting skills. Rudd continues his tradition of doing great work in everything he's in, usually as a supporting character. The moment someone writes a smart romantic-comedy around him, the man will be huge. But the real find of the film is Thompson, who handles all his comedic scenes with aplomb, although, admittedly the majority of those scenes mainly involve a mass amount of swearing.

Ultimately, Role Models sits in an unfortunate middle-ground. The humour is probably a bit too obtuse to make big at the box office the way Knocked Up did, while simultaneously being too straitlaced to gain a respectable cult following (although fans of the film will do well to check out Wain's debut, Wet Hot American Summer, for a hilarious and genuinely odd cult piece). But, whether it will be remembered in the future or not, Role Models is a enjoyable way to spend an evening with some very funny men.