Everybody Jump - Jump..

JUMP STREET (2012)

Jonah Hill has come a long way.
From the fat funny guy from "Superbad", "Strange Wilderness", and a mass of other projects, some good, some not so. Now he is a little skinnier and getting nominated for Oscars (best supporting actor - Moneyball). He is also getting more involved in his projects, for instance deciding to write an updated take on a decades old TV show, that is well, dated.
Channing Tatum has come a long way.
From the shirtless, emotionless, acting for the ladies buying tickets (step up, Dear John, and yes even fighting. Though in fairness that last one did entertain me lol). Now he is whomping bad guys in a bunch of new projects, and branching out into... comedy.
So really maybe it makes a lot of sense that both come into their own with this film, and sweet hell is it fun.
The plot is thus. Hill, the nerd, and Tatum, the jock, were enemies in high school. Then years later they become besties well helping each other through police academy. Once unleashed upon the world as cops, well, let's just say they lack some basic skills. Most of them. So they are demoted, moved, told to become part of an undercover unit that infiltrates high schools to stop evil plots.
Yes, the expected is there.
What makes this film great fun however is the chemistry between the two leads. They never miss a beat and the dynamic shifting when they return to school (Jonah's nerd ways now the new cool, and Tatum's jock no longer the king) is genius. The plot about a new drug being distributed through the halls, and their efforts to track it down is really secondary.
This is at it's core an 80s buddy cop movie, and it knows it. A self aware homage/mockery? Yup. For instance one scene has the pair in a high speed case, yelling at each other. And time and time again accidents occur. Both keep expecting the giant explosion, and nothing happens.
This movie has it all...
Stabbings, cool kids, peter pan, drugs, old lady punching, prom, more drugs, ice cube, celebrity cameos, gangstas, and the list goes ooooonnnnnn.
Finally a funny movie, that doesn't have to try to be funny. How hard is that? Remember "Old School" "Road trip"these were movies that relied on taking a likable group of people into crazy situations and letting them ride through to the laughs, as opposed to punchline... punchline.
A rare movie that when the inevitable "there will be a sequel" moment happen I was actually kinda excited to see them on another adventure.
I will be there...
Two strapping it! hahaha

- Movie scale 3 out of 5 stars
- Comedy scale 4 out of 5 stars

Charles B.