The other half of our recent double feature was my choice after John Wick 2 and I didn’t fare any better in this rather by-the-numbers comedy playing up Charlie Day’s spastic character from Philly and the often grouchy Ice Cube. The difference? Day’s character is obviously more educated since he’s a high school English teacher yet he project’s the Kelly’s outbursts with more rational statements.
The trailer gave the plot away which is it’s the last day of school, Day gets Cube fired, Cube tells Day that after school they will have a fight. Obviously Day is going to get his ass kicked because Cube is bigger, angrier and appears to have fighting experience. What they left out are the other subplots: the principal is firing teachers to make next year’s budget unless they can justify their existence (this takes place in Georgia and we all know the Deep South rarely prizes education); Charlie has a pregnant wife; Charlie’s daughter is drama queen; and all the little quirks involving the other teachers, it was nice to see Tracy Morgan after his horrible car accident.
I don’t have a problem with the premise despite it being rather well-worn, it’s the execution. Then again, I don’t have much idea how I would do it better other than don’t make this movie. Both leads are very talented in their own way and I guess it’s what got Hollywood to proceed when it would’ve been cheaper to do this for cable.
Alamo Extras: music video for the Runaways “School Days” and Rick James’ “Throwdown”; Trailers for Rock n’ Roll High School, Three O’Clock High, Friday and The Class of 1984; montage of testing in school; a condom usage video; [adult swim] skit on students being scared straight by the janitor, not an inmate; Funny or Die’s “Bat Fight”.