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Vulgar ‘Role Models' a pleasant surprise

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Films in certain genres always leave me hesitant to head to a screening - free or not. One such genre is what I call “tasteless comedy,” the other is horror. But I am committed to reviewing as many films as I can in all genres. “Role Models,” starring Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott, falls into the first category and did not have me rushing to my car or bolting into the theater. I worried that stupid and disgusting would win out over quality entertainment and a viable theme. I was wrong.

Scott and Rudd play Anson Wheeler and Danny Donahue, a pair of Minotaur Energy Drink representatives who make their living traveling from school to school peddling their product as a cool, safe alternative to drugs. Wheeler dresses in a ridiculous Minotaur mascot costume while Donahue drinks the green brew and spouts details about how kids should drink it for energy. For shameless ladies' man Wheeler, the job is tops - a great gig. But Danny, tired of peddling a chemical-filled potion to kids, has become listless and cynical. He harbors a sarcastic edge and a hair-trigger temper that frustrates his live-in, longtime, highly successful lawyer girlfriend (Elizabeth Banks), causing her to bail, setting off a bit of a chain reaction.

At the end of a long day and after the intake of countless energy drinks, Danny snaps and drives the company car (a mammoth bull-shaped truck that snorts steam) up a school statue. The pair ends up in court and is sentenced to community service, for which they are assigned to “Sturdy Wings,” a big-brother- type mentorship program led by a former addict (a very funny Jane Lynch). There, Danny is paired with Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), an introverted teenage boy whose life revolves around medieval, live-action interactive role-play, and Wheeler is paired with the younger Ronnie (Bobb'e J. Thompson), a fatherless kid prone to outbursts of profanity. Naturally, mishaps and pandemonium ensue, but while they initially just want to get the community service hours over with, Danny and Wheeler find themselves caught up in the lives of their “littles.”

To be sure, the R-rated “Role Models” is riddled with tasteless gags, nudity and foul language, but not so much so that these elements detract from the story and the excellent comic timing of the outstanding cast. Director David Wain crafts succinct comedy-filled scenes while managing to fully develop lovable, realistic characters and a meaningful tale. Rudd, Wain and a host of others penned this and the dialogue is witty and perfectly timed; even if some aspects get a bit too vulgar, the cast rises to the task and pulls off some great laughs and gags. The writing and thus the story never lags and Rudd's enraged expressionless bitterness and Scott's blatant, childlike irresponsibility make for an entertaining pairing - especially up against the likes of the spunky Thompson and the semi-morose Mintz-Plasse.

The wonderfully vibrant Lynch as Gayle Sweeny, the “Sturdy Wings” commander-in-chief, garners many laughs. I just love her. She also has some of the film's more vulgar scenes, but certainly not all of them. A few such sequences could have been eliminated all together, like a shot of one “big” perched on a bucket (as a makeshift latrine) in the wide open while on a “Sturdy Wings” camping trip. There is an excellent scene where Danny is able to tell off Augie's parents for ridiculing the boy for being different and some funny bits at the Middle Ages role-playing events. Rudd and Scott are absolutely wonderful together and Mintz-Plasse (best known as McLovin in “Superbad”) delights. At first, Thompson's character wore on me. I am not a huge fan of foul-mouthed children, but the little guy grew on me, as his character did on Wheeler.

Like I said, I worried about whether I would warm up to a film like “Role Models,” but my worry was baseless. Even minor characters, like Augie's mother (Kerri Kenney) and her boyfriend (Ken Marino), bring chuckles and support the film's underlying message - and who could ask for more?

I am placing a B+ in my gradebook, surprising even myself. I wish my tasteless-comedy-loving husband could have seen it with me.

For a chance to win passes for two to see “Quantum of Solace,” “Bolt,” and “Transporter 3,” visit Laurie Coker's movie review website at www.trueviewreviews.net.

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