ROTTEN TOMATOES: Critics Consensus: 17 Again Is Sweet And Poignant Comments

Critics Consensus: 17 Again Is Sweet And Poignant

by Tim Ryan | April 16, 2009

Summary

This week at the movies, we've got a high school do-over (17 Again, starring Zac Efron and Leslie Mann), some journalistic thrills (State of Play, starring Russell Crowe and Rachel McAdams), and cardiovascular action (Crank High Voltage, starring Jason Statham and Bai Ling). Plus, we've got Every Little Step, a documentary about A Chorus Line; Lemon Tree, about a conflict over a lemon grove on the Israeli/Palestinian border in the West Bank; American Violet, a drama about a single mother who must battle accusations of drug dealing; Is Anybody There?, which stars Michael Caine in the tale of a boy who meets a free-spirited occupant of his parents' old folks home; The Golden Boys, starring David Carradine and Mariel Hemingway in a comedy about three retired sea captains who could use a woman's touch in their drab Cape Cod house; and The Sleep Dealer, an indie sci-fi drama about exploited third-world workers in a futuristic dystopia. What do the critics have to say? Back to Article

(1-42 of 42 posts) | Reply

jokerboy1991 writes:
on Apr 16 2009 04:59 PM

State of Play is a good movie, nothing special, I wouldn't say rush to see it but its good. I still think Crank 2 will be awesome, though it is strange though that there not screening it considering the first movie was met fairly well. I'm going to say Crank 2 ends up with a 50-60 percent.

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Vortex&Vertigo writes:
on Apr 16 2009 05:18 PM

I remember that the first Crank was also not released to Critics.I'll give it 45%.

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tomwaitsjr writes:
on Apr 16 2009 06:27 PM

I'll go with 25% for Crank 2.

If I go to the movies I'm all for "State of Play," although "Sunshine Cleaning" is finally showing here and I'm up for some laughs after the God-Awful "Observe and Report" fiasco.

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Don't Tase Me Bro writes:
on Apr 16 2009 06:30 PM

I'm guessing that the producers of CRANK 2 have already assessed their fan base from the first film [which more than likely precipitated this follow-up to begin with]...and are probably 'banking' on the fact that there's an interest regardless of what the critical reception is.

I certainly am willing to check it out...and I think the producers probably care more about what fans of the first CRANK think than the critics this time around.

/Also guessing the consensus here on RT gives it a cumulative rating between 40-50%...

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jokerboy1991 writes:
on Apr 16 2009 06:40 PM

In reply to this comment (#2427630)
God awful?!?!?! Observe and Report?!?!? WHA?!?

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Angelica P. writes:
on Apr 16 2009 06:47 PM

I think it's interesting how the tomatometer of "17 again" has dropped. I mean, last friday it was 92%, then like 80 on monday and today it's 67%... I wonder if it won't fall more.

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tomwaitsjr writes:
on Apr 16 2009 06:48 PM

It didn't hommage films so much as butcher their memory, in particular "Taxi Driver." I was also pissed it included a nod to "Miller's Crossing." The best actor in the whole film was that girl at the coffee shop with the protein deficiency. Also, the writer didn't do his homework, if you're going to use mental illness in a script, at least be close to the truth. And that ending was total BS. It was so implausible might as well not have an ending at all.

So yah, God Awful.

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tomwaitsjr writes:
on Apr 16 2009 06:50 PM

Oh, and the continuity on that demented fairy tale was AWFUL. Amazing how quick they fixed the entrance after a car drove through it while it was closed.

The more I think about the movie, the angrier I get at it.

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jokerboy1991 writes:
on Apr 16 2009 07:04 PM

In reply to this comment (#2427646)
LOL yeah the movie was implausible but come ON! It was such a great satire of an underdog story. I LOVED Seth Rogen's character how he is just so oblivious and unstable. I liked how they showed guns as a sign of male machismo. I really dug the dark twisted-ness of it, and it was funny. It's funny how insane all of it was. They never ask you to like Rogen's character but to find him interesting, and I found him extremely interesting.

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ledawg1138 writes:
on Apr 16 2009 07:50 PM

In reply to this comment (#2427657)
Alright the two of you! "Observe and Report" is bad. It sucked the joy right out of me! The only time I smiled is when I walked out of the theater 45 minutes into it, saying to my friend "Sorry I suggested this." He stayed.

BUT, I came here to say...WHEN DID CRITCS SELL OUT?! "17 Again" has mostly good reviews, so did "High School Musical 3", and that "Hannah Montanna" concert film, SO WHEN DID CRITICS SELL OUT?! Do they have teenage daughters writing the reviews? That dosen't explain Roger Ebert (no kids) liking it!

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ledawg1138 writes:
on Apr 16 2009 07:51 PM

Oh, and does Russel Crowe look like the caveman from those insurance comercials?

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collex writes:
on Apr 16 2009 07:55 PM

This week: State of Play. I was going for Dragonball, but as there something interesting this week, I'm going for that.Next week,if nothing interesting comes up, I'll go watch Dragonball...

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Nicole M. writes:
on Apr 16 2009 08:05 PM

"Observe and Report" was awesome. Things like "the front entrance was repaired far too quickly" ruins watching a movie. That was not the point. He was clearly not your typical leading man; they never tried to pretend he was. And I thought the portrayal of Ronnie's mental illness, though likely dramatized, was fairly in keeping with the basics of bipolar disorder. The disorder is characterized by boughts of mania (over-confidence, hightened sexuality, recklessness, etc) and depression (depressed mood, isolation, lack of regard for oneself). In the first half of the film, he was on his meds and only exhibited slightly weird behavior. When he went off his meds, he appeared to be in a state of functioning mania. Most of his outrageous behavior occured after going off his meds and after he was rejected from the police academy. Anyway, I know this was a little long-winded, but it is part of the reason that I enjoyed the film so much. If you go into the film expecting cute, fat, self-deprecating, harmless Seth Rogen, you will be disappointed (except for the "fat" part).

I do want to see State of Play. The cast is just too good to pass up.

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ledawg1138 writes:
on Apr 16 2009 08:06 PM

In reply to this comment (#2427714)
NO! Don't settle for "Dragonball"!

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Speaker for the Films writes:
on Apr 16 2009 08:17 PM

In reply to this comment (#2427698)
If a movie aimed for a tween is tolerable, it isn't good awful. Not every movie can be the Dark Knight. And if you don't like what critics say, why are you even on this site?

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Chris B. writes:
on Apr 16 2009 08:27 PM

if i was goin to the movies this weekend i'd be seein the new crank. i don't care what critics say. the first was awesome and jason statham is always awesome. to heck with state of play and 17 again crap. i go to theaters to see some explosions and have fun and what not. i could care less about people talking and talking. i'll prolly rent state of play on dvd or something.

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ledawg1138 writes:
on Apr 16 2009 08:28 PM

In reply to this comment (#2427788)
Hey, hey, hey, I never said I don't care what they said. Bashin' them is half the fun.

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jokerboy1991 writes:
on Apr 16 2009 08:33 PM

In reply to this comment (#2427739)
You nailed it right on the head, couldn't have said it better myself... Observe and Report just seems to be splitting opinions right in half- you either love it or hate. Of course I loved it. I think its going to stand the test of time though, and go down as a cult classic on the level of... The Big Lebowski. Yeah I said it, don't bash me, in 10 years if I was wrong then you can say something!

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Hans M. writes:
on Apr 16 2009 08:39 PM

Yeah, the more I hear about "Observe and Report" the more uninspired I am about seeing it. I had hopes for it, but based on some reviews and reactions like on this thread, it does not sound like it will satisfy. I did enjoy "I Love You, Man," though! I'd recommend that. I am still looking forward to catching "Adventureland." Hopefully, this weekedn we'll catch "Tokyo," though reviews seem mixed. I'm still curious.

As for "17 Again," I was never planning on seeing that, but, come on, "critics say the film may be derivative, but it's also clever, entertaining, and poignant," sheesh! The film might as well not exist. What lame crap that sounds like.

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ledawg1138 writes:
on Apr 16 2009 08:45 PM

In reply to this comment (#2427835)
Except "Lebowski" tried to be funny.

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jokerboy1991 writes:
on Apr 16 2009 08:52 PM

In reply to this comment (#2427886)
So did Observe and Report, but its a different brand of comedy... Dark Twisted Satire

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ledawg1138 writes:
on Apr 16 2009 09:35 PM

In reply to this comment (#2427908)
Okay, we agree. It's different.

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Bloody Mathias writes:
on Apr 16 2009 10:06 PM

Crank 2 - 60%

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ZigBallistic writes:
on Apr 16 2009 10:12 PM

In reply to this comment (#2427698)
I might agree with you if I had never seen any of those films but I have watched High School Musical 3 and I liked it.......

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Mr. Bo Ziffer writes:
on Apr 16 2009 10:34 PM

Despite using cameras that have slightly better picture quality than most cell phones, I predict "Crank Deux" gets a 55%, just because the first one was awesome and this one looks awesomer, but half of the critics are going to complain because it isn't Hannah Montana. I'm planning on seeing it very soon.

Seriously though, someone needs to kick the living tar out of Zac Efron. That walking Colgate commercial is just begging for a beatdown, what with his meticulously choreographed dancing, and his ability to make hotties completely forget I exist. Hopefully he'll do something really stupid to ruin his career, like punch a hooker in the stomach, or say yes to an Uwe Boll script.

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ledawg1138 writes:
on Apr 16 2009 10:49 PM

In reply to this comment (#2428067)
Okay, I haven't seen any of those Disney teen flicks. I guess I'll have to back down...

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SuckitBaby writes:
on Apr 17 2009 12:30 AM

Observe & Report was basically a remake of Foot Fist Way (which I thought was WAY overrated). Both movies center on a dillusional idiot who's socially retarted and not very likable to the casual viewer. FFW just bored the s#!t outta me while O&R actually made me care about its characters. It has this natural charm that, like jokerboy said, I think will stand the test of time and become that rare cult classic that didn't even try to be one in the first place.

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SuckitBaby writes:
on Apr 17 2009 12:41 AM

Chris B., for reals man, that s#!t with Rihanna wasn't cool man, have some respect!

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hatingvindiesel writes:
on Apr 17 2009 04:17 AM

In reply to this comment (#2427630)
Crank 2: 56%

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Bigbrother writes:
on Apr 17 2009 07:31 AM

In reply to this comment (#2428233)
Yeah, I think the seen in the cops office really encapsulates what they were going for with the character. When the partner comes out and goes "You know what I thought this was gonna be funny, but it's not." Not that the exact quote encapsulates the movie, but here's a guy you should totally dislike. He's racist, ackward and a delusional dick to most everyone, but the way Rogen plays it you almost can't help but root for him.

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Brendan C. writes:
on Apr 17 2009 08:59 AM

Crank will land with a 63%

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jokerboy1991 writes:
on Apr 17 2009 12:04 PM

In reply to this comment (#2428376)
LOL I definitely didn't root for Rogen's character, I'm just saying he is extremely interesting.

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FranklinStreet writes:
on Apr 17 2009 02:22 PM

In reply to this comment (#2427630)
In reply to tomwaitsjr, Sunshine Cleaning was a far worse (and less funny) film than Observe and Report. And I do understand how polarizing O&R can be and why a lot of people may hate it. But Sunshine Cleaning is a bunch of great actors with mediocre and forgettable dialogue, undeveloped and dropped-halfway-through story-lines, and at the end of the day just a plotless script. I was shocked at how lifeless and purposeless and well, mediocre it was. On top of that, it's not really intended as a comedy... more as a drama. If you go to see it hoping to find some comedy after not liking O&R, you're probably going to be really disappointed all over again. The funniest thing out there right now is probably I Love You, Man... which in my opinion isn't great, but is at least respectably solid.

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FranklinStreet writes:
on Apr 17 2009 02:25 PM

Again in references to tomwaitsjr: You have to understand that the ending of Observe & Report isn't intended to be plausible. It shifts the film to a whole other level, one of comic satirism. If it wasn't evident until that moment, it becomes quite obvious then that the film has more in common with something like Anchorman or an episode of The Simpsons. It's a dark send-up of a common underachieving, middle-American stereotype. But it's definitely not intended as realistic or realistically plausible.

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collex writes:
on Apr 17 2009 07:51 PM

Saw State of Play today. Pretty liked it. And I learned that The Soloist coming out next week and my theater will have it. So, sorry Dragonball, you'll probably have to wait till the DVD

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Solonik -. writes:
on Apr 17 2009 08:30 PM

In reply to this comment (#2427698)
He's not reviewing the movie for you. That said why do you care so much? Does 17 Again and Hannah Montana's movie getting higher than 0% on the scale keep you from sleeping at night? Just don't watch the movie, it wasn't made with you in mind as a target audience anyway.

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ledawg1138 writes:
on Apr 17 2009 10:09 PM

In reply to this comment (#2429514)
I SAID I BACK DOWN!

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Bigbrother writes:
on Apr 18 2009 08:28 AM

In reply to this comment (#2429615)
That was your first mistake. You showed weakness, now we have to destroy you completely :)

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ledawg1138 writes:
on Apr 18 2009 10:12 AM

In reply to this comment (#2429868)
NOOOOOOOOO!!!!

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jokerboy1991 writes:
on Apr 18 2009 08:00 PM

Minor Spoilers- Crank 2 is pretty awesome, I would say I liked it even more then the first movie. It has a bunch of WTF moments, and thats why I loved it. So much fun- 8/10. I loved the throw back to the old godzilla movies, and seeing Chelios as a kind was prety cool. Definitely go see it with friends and with a packed theater. So fun!

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LemonHead24 writes:
on Apr 18 2009 10:31 PM

Hans M., "What lame crap that sounds like", yeah, it does sound like lame crap, but instead of judging it like that, I would actually see it first.
To my surprise, it was actually very good, thanks LARGELY to Zac Efron- who gave a wonderful, fresh, and youthful performance.

(Reply to this)

tomwaitsjr writes:
on Apr 19 2009 10:49 AM

In reply to this comment (#2428749)
Franklin Street,

Thanks for your comments! I'll wait until DVD time for "Sunshine Cleaning" then. I also apprecitate the mature way you discussed your side.

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