Release Date: January 11, 2002
Starring: Colin Hanks, Schuyler Fisk, Catherine O'Hara, Jack Black, John Lithgow
Directed by: Jake Kasdan
Written by: Michael White
Distributed by: Paramount Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (drug content, language, sexuality)
Anyone who hasn't been living in a cave, on Mars, with their eyes shut and their fingers in both ears knows that Tom Hanks's son Colin is starring in Orange County with Sissy Spacek's daughter Schuyler Fisk, directed by the son of filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan (The Big Chill), Jake Kasdan -- which is to say most critics felt the need to cite the film's genealogy, so I figured I'd better go along.
In that vein, the movie has plenty of things going for it. The writing is clever and at least somewhat original. It plays more tastefully than other gross-out teen movies and features cameos from many of Hollywood's all-time greatest comedic actors. And while there's plenty of entertainment, the film also serves a purpose by teaching important values about family and friendship.
The actors also do the trick. Colin Hanks did a fine job in his first starring role and is actually comparable to his father's early days; Schuyler Fisk was pleasant (though she just didn't have enough of a role to spread her wings); and Jack Black all but stole the show with his over-the-top antics. The characters are all colorful and though they have their flaws, it only seems to add to the enjoyable, redeeming value of the film.
It begins one day when Shaun Brumder (Colin Hanks, Band of Brothers, Roswell), proud Orange County resident and surfer extraordinare, discovers a book that changes his life. Soon after, he decides that he wants to become a writer and attend Stanford where his idol (the book's author) is a professor. But things take a turn for the worse when his guidance counselor (Lily Tomlin) accidentally sends in the wrong transcript and he is refused admission. Not to be deterred, his brother (Jack Black, Shallow Hal) and girlfriend (Schuyler Fisk, Snow Day) decide to go with Shaun to Standford to plead with the Dean of Admissions (Harold Ramis, Ghostbusters) to let him into the school.
Jack Black is responsible for nearly 95% of the film's laughs. His Belushian style of humor is refreshing and carries most of the film -- perhaps it's no accident that writer Michael White had Black's character breaking into the Dean's office; after all, it does pay homage to the classic comedy Animal House. It's no surprise that Black succeeded in the role, though: All he had to do was stand in one place in nothing but his underwear and the audience would be rolling in the aisles.
Shaun's family and friends are what really make this movie work because, like one character explains in the film, "one would expect them to be doomed" on account of their flaws. But in the film's more sentimental side, the strong underlying bonds they all have compensate for their problems -- they honestly love each other (leading to the film's other major philosophical claim that home is where the heart is).
Overall, the movie provides some memorable jokes, teaches important life lessons, and introduces some talented actors into the mix that is Hollywood. The film only has a running time of 83 minutes and that's just enough (unless Jack Black would have run from the cops across the Stanford campus wearing nothing but his underwear for a while longer). You get the sense the film knows when enough is enough, because anymore would just have been overkill -- and that in itself is reason to set it apart from most current teen comedies.
all contents © 2002 Ed Malinowski