DRILLBIT TAYLOR
CAROLINE: Even though I had fully anticipated hating “Drillbit Taylor,” I have to admit that it wasn’t bad.
RYAN: It has the full-on stamp of Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen, which is good news because we appreciate their brand of funny.
CAROLINE: It’s a little bit of a shameless rip-off of “Superbad,” right down to the characters: the tall, skinny, kid, the fat kid with curly hair and the McLovin-type super geek who wants to be their friend. But it’s a formula that works.
RYAN: I’m not over this formula yet. The first couple scenes are brilliant and hilarious, and we both laughed out loud. But then whenever it would cut to a scene with Owen Wilson, we were like, “Who cares?”
CAROLINE: I can’t stand Owen Wilson in these types of roles any longer. I liked him in “Wedding Crashers,” but I’m so sick of him playing the dirty lay-about guy like Drillbit and Dupree in “You, Me and Dupree.” It’s hard for me to take him seriously, especially because he’s so gross. Here’s a tip: try shaving for once.
RYAN: I totally disagree. First of all, he has a full nude from behind shower scene in this movie, and he’s incredibly hot. He’s in great shape. I still like him, and I thought he was decent in this.
CAROLINE: He got better as the movie went along, but he bugged me at the beginning. Clearly, I need to get over it though, because Owen Wilson isn’t going anywhere.
RYAN: This movie co-stars Judd Apatow’s wife, Leslie Mann, who does a shameless rip-off of Elizabeth Banks in “The 40-Year-Old Virgin.”
CAROLINE: That was a little weird. I was watching it thinking, “Where have I seen this performance before?” But I enjoy her, and I was happy that she’s in this movie as she is in all of her husband’s films.
RYAN: She’s a great actress on her own merit, so I won’t hold it against her. But it would be nice if she was in some films that aren’t made by her husband to give her a little cred, Helena Bonham Carter.
CAROLINE: [laughs’ I think the trailer doesn’t do this movie any justice. The scenes they show aren’t funny at all because they highlight Owen Wilson when it’s actually the kids who are the gems in this movie. But they’re not famous, so there you go.
RYAN: As a kid who was bullied in school, I found a lot of the scenes really funny but also relatable. The movie is very well written, Seth Rogen. You’re not gonna pull off a Ben Affleck/Matt Damon Oscar win or anything, but it’s a funny comedy. Bottom line?
CAROLINE: This movie is very clearly a March release, but it’s a decent one. Seriously, the trailer is so awful that I had zero expectations, but this movie actually made me laugh hard several times. I think the crowd that liked “Superbad” will love this. And honestly, I think the movie could have gotten by with less Owen Wilson because the teen boys are so awkward and hilarious.
RYAN: Judd Apatow is definitely getting a reputation for casting unknowns who are nerdy, cute and funny and they’re always great. This movie isn’t nearly as crass as “Superbad” so it’s good for the teen and ‘tween audience.
CAROLINE: It’s PG-13. The kids in this movie are only freshmen so they’re a little less potty-mouthed and girl-obsessed.
RYAN: I’d recommend this for sure if you’re looking for a comedy. Owen Wilson is back!