The New Guy - Cliched High School Movie

I learned about this movie through Netflix since I watched the movie 21 & Over. The New Guy was suggested as another movie to watch, and I though sure, why not?

Eh. It was okay.

The New Guy tells the story of Dizzy Harrison, played by DJ Qualls, a loser in high school alongside his friends. When Dizzy gets wrapped up in prison, he meets Luther, played by Eddie Griffin, a convict who's discovered that moving to a new place gets people the chance to start over. Luther decides to train Dizzy Harrison to become the "new guy": Gil Harris. 

For a teen, I can imagine the comedy that would arouse from such a movie. The movie is pretty funny considering some parts. I'd imagine the same kind of comedy with something roaming around YouTube; I see a bit more of the YouTube actors acting in this sort of sketch. It's funny, but it just doesn't seem funny enough to apply to a wider audience. 

Dizzy undergoes this transformation from loser to the best guy in an interesting way. There are issues that pop up here and there about how he would integrate his old geeky friends into the system he's created, how things would work out for Dizzy once his past catches up with him. I think that the movie did a great job keeping us entertained and lively.

In the opening scene, Luther is seen sitting down and talking to the audience about his transformation of Dizzy and the story behind it. I liked the idea of Luther telling us what happened so that we can get inspiration to be ourselves and what not. 

I feel that the plot made it too good for Dizzy Harrison and let him off the hook many times in a row. I feel like the movie could have been more realistic in that sense. Bouncing off of realistic senses, I feel that how the girls acted with Dizzy Harrison seemed a bit too much of a stretch. Even though Dizzy becomes this mysterious new guy that no one knows about, I feel like the women should have gotten something else out of Dizzy based on the way he acted and his looks. 

Also, I can name many a movie where the character faces things like Dizzy does in this movie. This is your typical movie where the teen hero rises from nothing and has a happy ending. Honestly, this is not a movie that I think people absolutely NEED to watch. 

Overall, the movie was okay though. 

I give this movie a 3/5. 

21 & Over - A Great Movie About Living For Now

Before watching this movie, all I knew was that it featured two white guys and an Asian fellow who party hard when the Asian fellow has to go to an interview.

Wow. I love this movie.

21 & Over tells the story of Jeff Chang, played by Justin Chon, a student about to graduate from college about to turn 21 who must go to an important interview the next day. His friends, Casey, played by Skylar Astin, and Miller, played by Miles Teller, vow to take care of Jeff Chang all throughout his first night of drinking.

The character development of Casey and Miller is the first thing that you see, two wild college students about to reunite with Jeff Chang, their old high school friend. I loved the idea of slow realization played throughout the entire film where Casey and Miller start to question who Jeff Chang really is and actually worry about him.

Next, the one thing that I'm sure a lot people wanted to see was Casey having the tenacity to ask out Nicole, played by Sarah Wright. I liked the development of these characters as well as Casey's sense of hope and love that he must figure out.

The one idea that is present throughout the film is the idea of being true to yourself vs. doing what must be done. The truth behind this conflict is that one must be true to themselves while still doing the deeds, which I think the whole idea of college is all about.

Of course, the craziness of the film really is what drives the movie and how the plot keeps twisting and twisting. I liked it. A lot.

I give this film a 5/5.