Zac Efron's '17 Again' is a familar but fun ride

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on April 17, 2009 at 5:00 AM, updated June 23, 2009 at 2:46 PM
Zac Efron realizes something isn't quite right in the 'switch' comedy '17 Again.'

OK, who made a wish on a magical ornamental skull? Or dropped a quarter into a magical carnival fortune-telling machine? Or ate a magical fortune cookie? Because I know we've been here before.

And so the temptation is great to write off "17 Again" as just the latest tired spin on the well-trodden "switch" movie concept, whereby a young person becomes suddenly old, an old person becomes suddenly young again - or both. Think "Big" or "Freaky Friday" or "Vice Versa" or "18 Again!" or "Like Father, Like Son" or "Dream a Little Dream." (Feel free to play along at home.

Scene-stealing funnyman Thomas Lennon ("Reno 911") acknowledges as much in "17 Again," after Matthew Perry ("Friends") wakes up as his formerly virile self, played by teen heartthrob Zac Efron ("High School Musical").

"Classic transformation story," Lennon's ubernerd character remarks. "It appears in the literature time and time again. Were you exposed to any gamma rays? ... Are you now or have you ever been a Norse god, a vampire or a time-traveling cyborg?"

Zac Efron and Thomas Lennon have a little trouble with modern teen fasions in '17 Again.'

2.5 stars

Snapshot: A comedy in a which an underachieving 30-something man gets a chance to be 17 again and rewrite his life.

What works: Star Zac Efron's charm, and Thomas Lennon's wackiness, help elevate this old trope into a cute and enjoyable bit of entertainment.

What doesn't: There's not a whole lot that's original (or uncontrived) about it, and the film editing is sloppy at times.

Starring: Zac Efron, Thomas Lennon, Leslie Mann, Matthew Perry, Michelle Trachtenberg. Director: Burr Steers. Rating: PG-13 for language, some sexual material and teen partying. Running time: 1 hour 42 minutes. Where: Elmwood Palace, Clearview Palace, West Bank Palace, Hammond Palace, Hollywood 9 (Kenner), Hollywood 14 (Covington), Grand (Slidell).

The truth is, however, that - pleasant surprise of all pleasant surprises - "17 Again" manages to squeeze more than a little life from the old trope, along the way transforming itself into a sweet and amusing comedy.

A big reason for that: Efron, who gets a chance to prove he is more than the sum of his singing, dancing "High School Musical" parts. Turns out, the kid has a charming screen presence and more than enough talent to carry this lightweight comedy.

Given his "HSM" pedigree, "17 Again" is clearly aimed at a young, female audience. The first scene does little to suggest anything else. Not only is Efron's character, Mike O'Donnell, shirtless, but he's chivalrous, a perfect guy willing to give up his basketball future to stand by his girl.

Flash-forward 16 years, and suddenly the movie's appeal widens. It seems things aren't going so well for Mike. Not only is his character's professional life in a rut, but that marriage he gave up everything for? Falling apart.

If only he could do it all over again ...

That's where Brian Doyle Murray comes in, as a mysterious school janitor who introduces Mike to a magical vortex that gives him another shot at teendom. (OK, points for originality there. As far as I know, this is the first time an otherwordly custodial vortex has been the catalyst for one of these films.)

The catch: Nothing around Mike, including the people in his life, has undergone the same change, so he has to live it all out in modern times. Along the way, he has to figure out if the real purpose of the big switch is for him to reclaim some of that old basketball glory, or if something more meaningful is at stake. (Three guesses as to which it is.)

If Efron is the "17 Again" cast member most likely to succeed, the clearly wacked-out-of-his-skull Lennon is the class clown, providing the bulk of the film's laughs. Applause is also owed to funny lady Leslie Mann (who shot "I Love You Phillip Morris" in town last year) as Perry's wife and Efron's reluctant cougar.

"17 Again" is produced by Adam Shankman, whose directing credits include "Bedtime Stories," "Hairspray" and "The Pacifier," and who has cemented his name as a family-friendly filmmaker.

Sure, Burr Steers' direction is vanilla, and the film editing has its miscues, but if you're have to relive this particular movie concept all over again, you could do a lot worse than "17 Again."

• On the Web: Official site for "17 Again"; watch the trailer; see slideshow of stills from the movie.
• From Find New Orleans area showtimes.