High School (2010)

I sat down to watch "High School" with no preconceived notions about the movie. All I knew was that Michael Chiklis was in it and that was good enough for me. I can't say Chiklis stole the show here, but he played a part so different than what he's played recently in Vegas and The Shield that my wife didn't even recognize him. Chiklis plays a high school principal hell bent on getting drugs out of his school but of course that becomes impossible to do when honors student and soon to be class valedictorian Henry, played by Matt Bush, decided to toke up for the first time the day before a school-wide drug testing program is implemented.

Henry and his stoner friend Travis, played by Sean Marquette, decide that if EVERYONE fails the drug test then nobody can really be held accountable. Sound thinking, right? Well, in order to get enough drugs to dose the whole student body they have to rip off the local drug dealer "Psycho Ed," played with gusto by Adrien Brody who absolutely steals the show here. "Psycho Ed" is one part Snoop Dogg and one part white suburban lawyer who had a nervous break down. He somehow comes off as hilarious and terrifying at the same time!

There's no doubt that the premise here is over the top, the characters are over the top and the delivery here is over the top. All of that doesn't take away from the fun of the ride. There are a ton of "stoner comedies" out there but this one really does stand on its own as a movie with a little more substance to it. Well worth the rental for Brody's performance alone!

Hank (Matt Bush) is a high school student who is MIT bound. He has become reacquainted with his junior high friend Breaux (Sean Marquette) who is not MIT bound, and might be classified as a "Stoner." Breaux convinces Hank to share a bone with him. To their surprise the principal (Michael Chiklis with a bad wig) announces a drug test for the entire student body with everyone who fails being expelled.

Hank envisioning his life going down the drain, because what college would ever take a high school kid who got high once in his life, our duo gets an ideal that if everyone was stoned and failed the test, they would throw it out. The brownie bake sale being held the same day as the drug test provides them the delivery method and the film director says, "Okay cast, everyone act stoned."

Sure it was nice to see Lisa Simpson and Booger as instructors and Adrian Brodie as a mentally unstable drug dealer. But as a stoner film goes, this one doesn't measure up. Consider the first joke, that of an oriental girl named "P-h-u-c." This type of humor was done in an Austin Powers film, or for you older stoners, "Groove Tube" had it in a fake Vietnam newscast or was that "Kentucky Fried Movie?" While a younger generation might laugh at this humor, us older guys have been there, done that, got the t-shirt, and are now using it for the cat's bed.

Some of the humor rolls quickly, such as when the principle claims that the downfall of America is "drugs, fornication and a grown man singing about his feelings." Nice words from "The Thing." The film needed more of this type of humor.

The movie also includes a man with "the munchies" and people feeling paranoid. The cliche cup over flowed. No rush to buy this one.

Parental Guide: F-bombs, no sex, minor shower nudity. I thought "Budz House" was superior for a modern stoner film.

Buy High School (2010) Now

"Drugs, fornicating, a grown man singing about his feelings, it's time we win this war, expunge this school of all dope fiends." Henry Burke (Bush) has everything going for him. He has a scholarship to MIT and is in line to be his classes valedictorian. After an accident leads to detention he is brought back together with his old friend Travis (Marquette). They decide to take a break that night and unwind with a joint. After the school's representative in the national spelling bee loses it on TV the principal (Chiklis) institutes a mandatory drug test for everyone in the school. Fearing he will lose everything Henry and Travis come up with a plan. I am not really a fan of "stoner' comedy (I did like the Harold & Kumar movies) but the plot to this and the cast made it seem interesting to me. I was not disappointed. Adrien Brody is very funny as the man they steal from and Colin Hanks is good as a clueless asst. principle but Michael Chiklis steals the movie. Playing a clueless borderline pervert in charge of the school he is perhaps the funniest clueless principal since Ed Rooney. This is a very different style of stoner comedy and it is more like "Girl Next Door" then "Pineapple Express". This is nothing amazing but I enjoyed it and laughed quite a bit. Overall, a funny movie you can just put in and not think about, those are fun sometimes. I give it a B.

Read Best Reviews of High School (2010) Here

Sadly, "High School" was only released in a handful of theatres this summer...If it didn't make it to your town, you need to buy a copy! It is the funniest movie I have ever watched. I saw it at Sundance a few years ago and have been eagerly wating for it to hit the theatres so all of my friends could see the movie I have been blathering about for two years. I am really disapointed that it didn't reach a larger audience, I was certain that it would be the next Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Hopefully it can have a great DVD life! Show your support for independent film makers who have the stones to make a comedy that isn't a stupid rom-com starring Ashton Kutcher...that said, if you are a fan of Ashton Kutcher rom-coms...this movie probably isn't for you.

Want High School (2010) Discount?

good movie funny parts. would not recommend for younger kids as there is extensive drug scenes

interesting story line. y

Save 38% Off