22 Jump Street
22 Jump Street
(2014)
A Review by Grant Kanigan
Directed by: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
Written by: Oren Uziel, Rodney Rothman,
Michael Bacall, & Jonah Hill
Michael Bacall, & Jonah Hill
Starring: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube,
Jillian Bell, Nick Offerman
Rating: 14A
Release Date: June 6th 2014
Release Date: June 6th 2014
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| Jonah Hill, Ice Cube & Channing Tatum in 22 Jump Street Photo by Glen Wilson - © 2013 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved. IMAGE IS THE PROPERTY OF SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT INC. |
22 Jump Street is the most ridiculous movie of the year. In a cinematic landfill of remakes and sequels, 22 Jump Street gleefully sits on the top, keenly aware of it's position. The difference between this raucous sequel and others, is it knows exactly what it is, and how overwhelmingly ridiculous it is. While some self aware sequels and satires run thin, 22 Jump Street doesn't even bother to pretend its story is real. Nick Offerman, as moustachioed Police Deputy Hardy, outlines their mission, "do it exactly like the first time. Don't change anything, it's what the people want, and it's what they're paying for." Offerman's dry dialogue sounds exactly like a studio executive, pitching a terrible sequel. Much of the film runs this way, with Hill stating "now we're across the street at 22 Jump Street!" and Tatum replying "oh look, there's a new building at 23 Jump Street, we'll probably be moving over there next time around." Hill and Tatum's deadpan and complete devotion to a script so over-the-top self aware is what sells the sequel, and ultimately makes it hilarious.
22 Jump Street follows detectives Jenko and Schmidt, (played by Tatum and Hill, respectively), under the orders of Captain Dickson, (Ice Cube). Cube's role in and of itself is hilarious; he became famous for anti-authority songs like "F**k the Police" in the rap group N.W.A., and much like fellow rap-rebel Ice-T, is now making money playing a cop on screen. The difference between the two is that Cube is aware of the irony. But I digress. Once Dickson outlines a drug ring at MC State, the local college, he then assigns Jenko and Schmidt to go undercover as students to infiltrate the criminal activity.
Once Jenko and Schmidt arrive on Campus, everything is fair game. From an improvised, gut bustingly hilarious slam poem from Hill, to a 'meet cute' between Jenko and a football star, every moment on campus is milked for maximum goofballery. Alongside comedic stars like the twin Lukas Brothers, Jillian Bell and Jimmy Tatro, there's nary a moment where some kind of joke isn't being thrown on screen. Unlike most comedies, the majority of hilarious moments hit you right in the gut. There are countless laugh out loud moments throughout the film, and at just under two hours, cuts off right before the laughs become tiresome.
The laughs in the film come mainly from Tatum and Hill's chemistry. Like a modern day Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder, their comedic chemistry is explosive. Largely using the romantic comedy formula to illustrate the depth of their police partnership, both actors hilariously improvise, especially Hill. In the clip below, Hill flies off the handle, comedy wise, improvising lines about his faux-mexican past, and subtly mocking Tatum for not improvising anything. It's this insistence on playing to both actors' strengths that makes the film work. Tatum is the perfect straight man in the comedic duo, yet his innocent sensibility allows him to utter some of the funniest lines in the film, deadpan. Like Pryor and Wilder during the height of their fame, I could care less what film Tatum and Hill do next, as long as they do it together, (thankfully the end of 22 Jump Street promises around 20 sequels; 27 Jump Street: Cooking School, 43 Jump Street: Mariachi School, Jump Street: Generations, and more).
Like I've mentioned already, the premise of Lord & Miller's film is merely an excuse to be ridiculous. The pair, fresh off the original Jump Street, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and The Lego Movie are finely tuned comedic directors. Their work, so far, has been brilliant satire, even pulling off the impossible; selling millions of toys as a corporate marketing ploy by spoofing consumerism and corporate marketing ploys in The Lego Movie. While Lord & Miller have largely been successful by adapting established work, their brilliance is in their embrace of the elements that would make one critical of them. Instead of marginalizing and ignoring the corporate aspects or uselessness of their films, Lord and Miller focus directly on them. It makes for liberating, and hilarious viewing. They might still be selling us a product, but at least they're honest about it.
22 Jump Street follows detectives Jenko and Schmidt, (played by Tatum and Hill, respectively), under the orders of Captain Dickson, (Ice Cube). Cube's role in and of itself is hilarious; he became famous for anti-authority songs like "F**k the Police" in the rap group N.W.A., and much like fellow rap-rebel Ice-T, is now making money playing a cop on screen. The difference between the two is that Cube is aware of the irony. But I digress. Once Dickson outlines a drug ring at MC State, the local college, he then assigns Jenko and Schmidt to go undercover as students to infiltrate the criminal activity.
Once Jenko and Schmidt arrive on Campus, everything is fair game. From an improvised, gut bustingly hilarious slam poem from Hill, to a 'meet cute' between Jenko and a football star, every moment on campus is milked for maximum goofballery. Alongside comedic stars like the twin Lukas Brothers, Jillian Bell and Jimmy Tatro, there's nary a moment where some kind of joke isn't being thrown on screen. Unlike most comedies, the majority of hilarious moments hit you right in the gut. There are countless laugh out loud moments throughout the film, and at just under two hours, cuts off right before the laughs become tiresome.
The laughs in the film come mainly from Tatum and Hill's chemistry. Like a modern day Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder, their comedic chemistry is explosive. Largely using the romantic comedy formula to illustrate the depth of their police partnership, both actors hilariously improvise, especially Hill. In the clip below, Hill flies off the handle, comedy wise, improvising lines about his faux-mexican past, and subtly mocking Tatum for not improvising anything. It's this insistence on playing to both actors' strengths that makes the film work. Tatum is the perfect straight man in the comedic duo, yet his innocent sensibility allows him to utter some of the funniest lines in the film, deadpan. Like Pryor and Wilder during the height of their fame, I could care less what film Tatum and Hill do next, as long as they do it together, (thankfully the end of 22 Jump Street promises around 20 sequels; 27 Jump Street: Cooking School, 43 Jump Street: Mariachi School, Jump Street: Generations, and more).
Like I've mentioned already, the premise of Lord & Miller's film is merely an excuse to be ridiculous. The pair, fresh off the original Jump Street, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and The Lego Movie are finely tuned comedic directors. Their work, so far, has been brilliant satire, even pulling off the impossible; selling millions of toys as a corporate marketing ploy by spoofing consumerism and corporate marketing ploys in The Lego Movie. While Lord & Miller have largely been successful by adapting established work, their brilliance is in their embrace of the elements that would make one critical of them. Instead of marginalizing and ignoring the corporate aspects or uselessness of their films, Lord and Miller focus directly on them. It makes for liberating, and hilarious viewing. They might still be selling us a product, but at least they're honest about it.
Grant's Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Jonah Hill & Channing Tatum go "Undercover" in 22 Jump Street
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