High School

HIGH SCHOOL

It'll get you high, man, or at least make you laugh like you are.

2010: Anchor Bay Films

2010, Comedy, Rated R

Distributed by Anchor Bay Films

          This little independent comedy was made way back in 2010 and has been looking for a distributor ever since. It finally landed one and is getting some theater time now at random locations. If you can catch it, you might want to check it out. It isn't groundbreaking but it is hysterical in some parts, truly original in others.

          The plot follows a valedictorian who decides to take his first hit of pot coincidentally the day before a random school-wide drug test. His grades mean everything to him and he can't let this one foray into inebriation stop him from getting a scholarship to MIT. He teams up with the guy who got him stoned, the biggest stoner/dealer in school, and together they devise a ridiculous plan to contaminate the test results. They bake pot into brownies and get the whole school high at the bake sale the same day. It sounds totally bonkers but the movie is light-hearted enough to pull it off, never taking itself too seriously with such a plot. The lead actors, Matt Bush as Henry the grade-grubber, and Sean Marquette as Travis the stoner, do a great job. The stoner guy is funny but not cliche as many characters in his position in films like this are. The uptight valedictorian is believable and also isn't reduced to cliches. These guys do an excellent job handling a tricky subject matter and keeping it funny throughout, but they couldn't have done it without their superb supporting cast.

          The most random actors show up in this film playing all kinds of roles from deans of schools to psychotic drug dealers. First off is Michael Chiklis playing the Dean. He has hair in this movie and you can barely tell it's him underneath it. His character is so sleazy with his comb over and pretentious attitude and Chiklis played him very well, a source of many laughs. Second is Adrien Brody as Psycho Ed the super-intelligent drug dealer. They say he was a genius until he cracked and used his genius to make the best pot around instead. Adrien Brody is sketchy and creepy with his corn-rows and full body tattoos. He talked to his pet frog and his eye twitched consistently. He was perfectly quirky for the role.

          Another cool part of this movie was the use of subtle digital effects to accentuate the effects of the characters' highs. It was never in-you-face tripping like the end of Easy Rider but more in the background. At one point the clouds in the corner of the frame morphed into faces. It was all to show the viewer what the stoned person was seeing. It was cleverly-done rather than over-done. Also, slow motion was used quite frequently to great effect. It gave the film a modern sheen that wasn't overplayed. 

          The story is totally original and the characters are funny and well-played by their actors. Stoner comedies can be a waste of time, but this one feels more substantial, giving you more than just the giggles. It's a real funny movie and although it may be hard to find, check it out if you get the chance.