Big Screen Blurb: 21 Jump Street

So I take a break from March Madness Friday night to soak in 21 Jump Street...why not, right? My bracket was in great shape. After all, I was 19-4 after a 7-0 Friday afternoon session. Then, all hell broke loose. I dropped five out of the next nine as my bracket limped into the Sweet Sixteen. What happened? I'm not sure. It could be an unanticipated rise of the mid-majors or it might be the fault of 21 Jump Street, which I actually liked until I realized it was to blame for my March Madness bracket woes.

Meet Schmidt and Jenko (Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum). They're buds. This wasn't always the case. In high school, Jenko was in the cool crowd and Schmidt...well, not so much. So, when the two went to the police academy for a high action, fast-paced life in criminal justice, they discovered that they really needed each other. Schmidt helped Jenko with the academic side, and Jenko helped Schmidt with the physical demands. It worked...kinda. Sure, the're cops, but the two end up on a bicycle beat, guarding the park. Even so, the pair manages to bust up a drug exchange. Unfortunately, Jenko's inability to read the perp his rights, meant a failed arrest and a re-assignment. That new assignment was down on Jump Street...37...check that...21 Jump Street. It's an undercover op, which puts our heroes back in high school in an effort to uncover a drug ring. Unfortunately, the two experience a role reversal in high school, upon the realization that what was in, is out. Conversely, what was out is now in. Suddenly, Schmidt is among the populars and Jenko...hmm, not so much. Yadayadayada Schmidt and Jenko work to overcome those ever prominent social separators on their way to trying to make a name for themselves on the force.

It's good. 3.5 Stars is my score. You've got some laugh out loud moments that link together a pretty good story that makes a good point. Jonah is well, Jonah. He's funny, playing the hapless dork to perfection, as well as the rising popular kid. Channing was solid, too. No surprise that he had little problem playing the cool kid, but when "not caring" became unfashionable and his character emerged on the nerdy side of the coin, he was still solid.

All in all, it's a fun 109 minutes. Sure, you've got your Hollywood moments (car chases, etc.) but they're handled with humor. In the end, it's a story that comes together nicely through good character development. We see both characters grow in meaningful ways to let us know that high school isn't the end all--regardless of which side of the popularity fence you might have found yourself...past or present.

No real complaints with this one. There might have been a comedic miss or two. With comedy, sometimes less is more. For instance, there were a couple of instances where funny "life" situation scenes were overplayed. Yes, the situation was funny and they wanted to bleed it for every possible laugh. There's nothing wrong with a quick-hitting laugh instead of a drawn out moment that ends up making the audience scratch the ole cranium a bit too much.

At any rate, 21 Jump Street is worth a watch...probably a BIG screen watch, at that. And, yes, that's high praise indeed for a flick that utterly destroyed by bracket.

True...OUT!