From the guys who brought us Superbad, Knocked Up and The 40 Year Old Virgin, Seth Rogen (who co-wrote the film) and Judd Apatow (who executive produced the film), sadly bring us their most unfunny film, Drillbit Taylor. Owen Wilson, still looking like he's recovering from his suicide attempt, plays the title character as a down-on-his-luck-beach-living homeless, excuse me... "homefree" person, posing as a Doctor/Substitute Teacher, hired by three young boys, Ryan, Wade and Emit, as their bodyguard to keep the bullies at helm during their first few days of high school. The three adolescents, nerdy, chubby and geeky, play their roles well and actually look like high school kids. We've seen all this bullying before in movies and unfortunately, in real life... being stuffed into lockers, heads banged against walls, wedgies and being kicked, punched, poked fun of, etc., etc., etc. Bullying is a serious issue in public schools and here, it's treated like slapstick. Some of it funny, but most of it not.
Drillbit Taylor has some of the dumbest parents, mostly non-existent, in movie history. The principle of the school is a naive, clueless dimwit and the English teacher that falls for Wilson's character, acts like she hasn't been on a date since Jr. High and is basically ready to jump his bones right there in the teacher's lounge. There's nothing witty or clever about Drillbit Taylor. Most of the writing is unfunny and just plain stupid. I noticed from the audience's reaction, dialogue that was supposed to be funny, received forced laughter. One very funny scene is shown in the movie trailer, as two of the boys sucker punch each other in different parts of their bodies, practicing for that big fight toward the third act. The far superior Superbad had the perfect formula dealing with high school bullies and a few of it's geeky inhabitants. Not only was that film over-the-top funny, but it had that rare feat of having a heart and soul, and was one of the best adolescent films of recent years where as Rogen's and Apatow's new film, needs so much life resuscitated into it, it's basically dead on arrival. It's not entirely their fault; director Steven Brill has a knack for really bad comedies (Without A Paddle, Little Nicky and Mr. Deeds) which audiences have smartly stayed away from. Drillbit Taylor joins this dreadful list.
Drillbit Taylor has some of the dumbest parents, mostly non-existent, in movie history. The principle of the school is a naive, clueless dimwit and the English teacher that falls for Wilson's character, acts like she hasn't been on a date since Jr. High and is basically ready to jump his bones right there in the teacher's lounge. There's nothing witty or clever about Drillbit Taylor. Most of the writing is unfunny and just plain stupid. I noticed from the audience's reaction, dialogue that was supposed to be funny, received forced laughter. One very funny scene is shown in the movie trailer, as two of the boys sucker punch each other in different parts of their bodies, practicing for that big fight toward the third act. The far superior Superbad had the perfect formula dealing with high school bullies and a few of it's geeky inhabitants. Not only was that film over-the-top funny, but it had that rare feat of having a heart and soul, and was one of the best adolescent films of recent years where as Rogen's and Apatow's new film, needs so much life resuscitated into it, it's basically dead on arrival. It's not entirely their fault; director Steven Brill has a knack for really bad comedies (Without A Paddle, Little Nicky and Mr. Deeds) which audiences have smartly stayed away from. Drillbit Taylor joins this dreadful list.