Role Models - A Review

Role Models

I am a huge fan of both Sean William Scott and Paul Rudd, so I sought-out Role Models without knowing it was a movie about roleplaying (LARPing, actually). Being a huge fan of RPG, I was basically destined to enjoy the shit out of Role Models... and then they went and dropped KISS all over it. Yes, Role Models was literally made for me. If you think about it, that's a pretty recession-proof model - after all, they knew there was a built-in audience; if nothing else, they were certain to sell one ticket... and I'd need a ride - and so the math begins.

An uneven film, a lot of Role Models' charm comes from the fact that it doesn't even try to find its rhythm. It remains true to the improvisation of RPG, bouncing from one theme to another. However, it succeeds as a whole because it actually hits its mark almost every time; while haphazard, each element completes the thought behind it. When Role Models veers into snappy banter, the dialogue is jaunty and crisp; when it wobbles into the urbane, it goes deep blue; and when it strikes an emotional chord, it's unflinchingly genuine.

Uneven pacing, too many stories, dramatic moments in the midst of slapstick comedy - all easily handled by a rote formula. Overall, it leans on nostalgia to drive it and there just isn't enough, even for a superfan like myself, to keep it going, but it makes a valiant effort. A good watch to which you are unlikely to return.

© C Harris Lynn, 2010