Vulgarity is brought to new levels in the buddy-cop comedy film “21 Jump Street.” The film is not for the weak of heart or the easily offended, as it earns its “R” rating on language alone. Fresh young stars bring their A-games, but stars Jonah Hill (“Superbad”) and Channing Tatum (“Dear John”) elevate the film with their unexpected chemistry.
Chubby brainiac Morton Schmidt (Hill) and dim jock Greg Jenko (Tatum) are former high school classmates fresh out of the police academy. They are anything but spectacular, and during their first arrest they fail to give the criminal his Miranda rights. The two are soon reassigned to a revived undercover project from the 80s located at 21 Jump Street. Captain Dickson, played by Ice Cube (“Friday”), explains that this division was created to secretly infiltrate high schools in order to find the supplier of a new synthetic drug. Schmidt and Jenko are thrown back into high school, which turns out to be a completely different experience than their own high school days.
A supporting cast of young new talent really adds to the success of the film. Dave Franco (“Fright Night”), younger brother of James Franco, and Brie Larson (“Scott Pilgrim vs. The World”) play a popular couple which, surprisingly, the nerdy Schmidt has an easier time connecting with than the former would-be prom king Jenko. Franco and Larson fill their roles perfectly and really get a chance to shine in the third act. Ellie Kemper(“Bridesmaids”) plays Ms. Griggs, a chemistry teacher with the hots for Jenko. She immediately turns into a bumbling idiot and cannot help herself around him, constantly trying to grab on and flirt with him.
Even with an enormously entertaining supporting cast, Tatum and Hill are still the brightest stars in this film. They took a big risk with Tatum, casting him against type, and they lucked out. He shows the audience that he can be more than a heartthrob, and embraces his role as the socially out-of-touch doofus. In one scene, he is standing in front of his AP Chemistry class, reading a horrible poem about potassium chloride, while wearing a shirt covered in atoms and bonds. He plays it dead serious and is believable as a dopey guy trying to prove that he can be smart, too. Hill, on the other hand, shows off his cool side for once and takes on the role of the popular kid. In one of his first films since his recent weight loss, it is refreshing to see that Hill does not need fat jokes to be funny, although viewers are still treated to a couple.
Another aspect that helps this film succeed is that it does not go too far, unlike most recent comedies. It is an R-rated film – it has swearing, nudity, drug use, violence and underage drinking, but it does not get uncomfortable. The film is shockingly vulgar at times, but it fits the tone and the story and is never played simply for shock value. It is tasteful and that is thanks to writers Michael Bacall (“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”) and Hill.
A modern comedy with a story arc this cohesive is rare, but “21 Jump Street” achieves it. It is far from a safe comedy, but does not take the jokes too far. “21 Jump Street” is not the nice suburban home next door; instead it is the party house across the alley where everyone is invited.
“21 Jump Street” receives 4 out of 5 stars.
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