Role Models
Kansas City native Paul Rudd is not only taking on a new lead role, but is also making an attempt at writing, and let’s say it’s a good one. In “Role Models,” Paul Rudd is Danny Donahue, an energy drink rep who is very unhappy with his life right now. His irritation with life boils over and eventually reaches a peak when his girlfriend, Beth (Elizabeth Banks) of many years ends the relationship and decides to move out. Seann William Scott is Wheeler, Danny’s co-worker who is the mascot for the energy drinks. The pair travel from school to school to lecture students about not using drugs, but to rather turn to their energy drinks.
The lectures all go well until Danny feels as if he has lost everything. During this final talk Danny instructs the school kids that life does not get any better after getting out of school and drugs are actually not that bad. Upon leaving the school he finds the company’s energy drink van being towed. Angered beyond words, Danny fights the tow man and a police officer to get the vehicle back. In the process he causes damage to school property. Both Danny and Wheeler are facing several charges and could face up to thirty days in jail. There is an alternative option of community service. Not wanting to go to prison the two decide to take the sentence of community service. The service not being as easy as expected when they find they are sent to a Big Brother program, where they will need to spend 150 hours mentoring younger kids.
The mentoring is pretty bad at first, but they soon find themselves connecting to these kids. The hours quickly add up and they find themselves not doing it for service any longer, but it becoming something they want to do. Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott presented amusing acts, and the lil ones they had to big brother can not be left out on the credits. Best known as “McLovin”, Christopher Mintz Plasse is Augie Farks, Dannys troubled teen dork who he is helping come out of his shell. Bobb’e Thompson is Ronnie Shields, Wheeler’s lil one who is out of control and has trust issues. Both young stars offered a flare of comedy to the film. Role Models turns out to be a great film that also has a great meaning. It shows that there are children out there who need guidance and need to know that they can be accepted for who they are, and Role Models shows that there are programs like this out there and you don’t have to be sentenced to service to enjoy it. Role Models is rated R for some sexual content, nudity and strong language. This film is a pick me up for all to see.
[...] Role Models: Danny and Wheeler are two salesmen who trash a company truck on an energy drink-fueled bender. Upon their arrest, the court gives them a choice: do hard time or spend 150 service hours with a mentorship program. After one day with the kids, however, jail doesn’t look half bad. Surrounded by annoying do-gooders, Danny struggles with his every neurotic impulse to guide Augie through the trials of becoming a man. Unfortunately, the guy just dumped by his girlfriend has only sarcasm to offer a bashful 16-year-old obsessed with medieval role play. Meanwhile, charming Wheeler tries to trade in an addiction to partying and women to assist a fifth-grader named Ronnie in redirecting his foul-mouthed ways. It would probably help if Ronnie’s new mentor wasn’t an overgrown adolescent whose idea of quality time includes keggers in Venice Beach. Once the center’s ex-con director gives them an ultimatum, Danny and Wheeler are forced to tailor their brand of immature wisdom to their charges. And if they can just make it through probation without getting thrown in jail, the world’s worst role models will prove that, sometimes, it takes a village idiot to raise a child. [...]