You Have the Right to be an Attorney ... If You Want to

21 Jump Street (2012)

A Review by Ben Hunter

5 Out of 5 Stars

March 16, 2012

“You have the right to remain silent!  Anything you say can or will be used against you in a court of law!  You have the right to an attorney!  If you cannot afford an attorney one will be appointed to you!  Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you?! … MF!!” 

Hilarious!  Gut busting!  Side splitting!  Overall entertaining, and LOTS OF FUN! 

Revived from the original TV series from the 80’s, 21 Jump Street is a modern day remake that respectfully pays homage in a new and innovate way!

Our story is a buddy comedy about 2 guys who knew each other in high school, Schmidt or Schmidty (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum).  Schmidty was the uncool nerd and Jenko was the dumb jock that was very popular.  Both had their share of high school problems.  Now graduated and finished with college, they both join the police force as their line of work, not knowing the other one has done the same.  So as adults who realize that one has what the other one needs to get through police training (Schmidty the brains and Jenko the brawns), they decide to become friends and graduate the police academy … only to get put on park duty together, riding police bikes not cars, telling kids to obey the park signs, and combating boredom all day long. 

So when something big actually happens in the park they overreact to the 10th degree and really go all out to impress their police chief to get put on better assignments.  This leads to the most unprofessional act of duty police that someone can do.  So the chief has to reassign them now, and to their luck of a newly revived project that's just come about, he reassigns them to it because they REALLY fit the bill … they look young!  They have to go undercover as high school students to find out who’s dealing a new drug at the school that the police force has never heard of and don’t know how to deal with.  Now our heroes have to report to a new police chief running the operation, Captain Dickson (Ice Cube), your stereotypical African American captain with a bad attitude.  He runs the operation for all the cops that fit the bill to go undercover at all the local schools at a run down Korean church located on Jump St., 21 Jump St.  As our heroes set out on a crazy, wild adventure, to find out who the dealers and suppliers of the new drug are; discover who they really are as friends, and become better people in the end. 

This movie was SO MUCH FUN!!  People everywhere are shocked at how entertaining of an experience they received!  I personally called this one as the marketing was well done so I knew this was something to look forward to.  It’s the first “WOW!! Movie” of the year, to stand out and be remembered as the true kick-start to really get things going this year. 

I really liked the well drawn out story as the 2 were undercover back in high school.  Surprisingly, their roles became reversed as Schmidty gradually became apart of the popular crowd and Jenko ended up hanging out with the nerds.  This was cleverly written to entertain the audience and could’ve easily been a stereotypical, movie cliché that would’ve turned out quite boring.  But instead their roles are reversed and we want to see how this plays out and it really takes the story in the direction it needs to go for our heroes to learn more about themselves, which helps them in the end with the case and with their personal lives. 

This movie respectfully pays homage to the original TV series but gives it that new modern day edge that says, “this is for the era of today but we respect the path that was made for us to even have this opportunity”. 

There were doubts that the 2 lead actors weren’t big enough stars to carry a film project of this caliber.  Decent acting will honor great writing at least on a passible level, and I think Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum really raised their status in Hollywood with this as I think they did an amazing job in finding the characters and doing a great job acting, especially the latter (Channing Tatum) who you wouldn't think could keep up with a primary comedy actor (Jonah Hill).  There were doubts that the film wouldn’t make as much money as it could as it caters to high school students who are too young for this R-rated comedy.  All of the surprised adults who got an amazing experience that was overall entertaining, really make up for any high school student that didn’t see the film, excluding the masses that I’m sure saw it anyways or heard it was amazing and will rent/buy the movie when it’s available for home entertainment.  Good work speards through word of mouth and I'm sure more audiences are now viewing the film who probably wouldn't have initially because the word is out, "this movie is really good!" All thanks to the well done initial marketing! 

You’ll remember why we go to the movies in the first place, to have fun!  Get ready for some of the most fun you’ve had in a long time!

It’s raunchy, gut-busting, side splitting, hilarious, and the first truly entertaining experience of the year! 

If you haven’t seen it yet, GO SEE IT TODAY!!

21 Jump Street

Comedy, 109 Minutes, R

Story by: Jonah Hill & Michael Bacall

Screenplay by: Michael Bacall

Directed by: Phil Lord & Chris Miller

Cast: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, & Ice Cube