17 Again (2009)

Released in 2009 and directed by Burr Steers, "17 Again" stars Matthew Perry as a dispirited 37 year-old man about to lose his wife and high school sweetheart. Through a "spirit-guide" (Brian Doyle-Murray) he is miraculously able to become, you guessed it, 17 again. His younger self is played by Zac Efron, who's actually the star of the movie. Leslie Mann plays his soon-to-be former wife while Thomas Lennon appears as his geeky best friend. Sterling Knight & Michelle Trachtenberg are on hand as his kids struggling through the teen years. Melora Hardin plays the attractive principal while Nicole Sullivan has a glorified cameo.This movie is magic from beginning to end, with few missteps. It's both a high school dramedy and a second chance fantasy. There are elements of films like "Back to the Future" (1986) and "Peggy Sue Got Married" (1986), but the uniqueness here is that the protagonist doesn't go back in time, but rather stays in the current day and appears to his family & friends as 17 years-old, even though he's really 37. With one exception, no one knows who he really is.Efron, who was only 21 during filming, easily carries the film while Mann is one of the most winsome women to walk the Earth. Lennon's amusing character is akin to the Big Bang Theory guys. Best of all, the film has heart, effectively conveying the triumphs and tragedies of the high school experience in all its glory and awkwardness. I know it's clichéd, but "you'll laugh, you'll cry." The movie runs 102 minutes and was shot in Santa Monica (Hayden High School), Van Nuys & Los Angeles, California. The script was written by Jason Filardi.GRADE: A-

17 Again tells the story of a man named Mike O'Donnell played Matthew Perry who ever since he has graduated from High school his life his been collapsing slowly around him he is about to be divorced from his High School sweetheart Scarlet played by Leslie Mann his kids Maggie and Alex don't want anything to do with him but after one mysterious encounter with a janitor Mike is transported back into his teenage body and is given a 2nd chance at turning his life around reliving his high school life all over again whilst helping along his kids along the tricky path to adulthood that he failed himself . This isn't a particularly original movie the plot is strung together with a load of clichés we've seen in many other romantic comedies and body swap flicks the performances are the best thing about it Matthew Perry isn't really given a chance to shine as the older Mike this is the Zac Efron i was concerned about this role thinking it would be a retread of his performances in those dreadful High school musical comedies but i was surprised Efron was Charming , engaging and very sweet he is not just a pretty boy with a nice haircut who showed off his dramatic chops pretty well especially a very moving court scene where he reads a letter that was written by the older Mike trying to not only rekindle the relationship with the great love of his life but to also tell her the older Mike is trapped inside of him . Overall this is a fun and charming flick that benefits from a charismatic performance by its star Zac Efron who saves the movie from being the excruciating mess which it could've ended up being without his presence in it .

This movie was soooo UNfunny in every single scene. This is supposed to be a comedy, let me just tell you it wasn't!! Can't believe this film got 55 out of 100 on Rotten Tomatoes! It deserves a lot lower! Personally, not a huge Zac Efron fan, didn't think he did a very good job in the movie. I didn't laugh once!! I was so bored, and I wanted the movie to end a lot sooner than when it finally did! I just think there are a lot better comedies to watch and actually laugh at out there. This movie was a huge disappointment to me, and I'm sure it also disappointed others that saw it! Overall I'll give 17 again a 2/10, seriously you can do better than this mediocre "comedy" movie.

Mike O'Donnell (Zac Efron) was a teen basketball jock with all the potential in the world. When his girlfriend got pregnant, he abandons it all to marry her. Now they're adults, Mike (Matthew Perry) can't stop blaming all his problems on this decision. His wife Scarlet (Leslie Mann) divorces him. Then one night, a guardian angel sends Mike through a vortex and turns him back into a teen again. He decides to go back to high school to relive his high school years, but instead he reconnects with his family.Thomas Lennon does his wacky best friend. It's basically 'Big' in reverse. The story isn't anything new or original. Zac Efron is quite funny as the fish out of water. He's surprisingly great as a compelling lead. It's his performance and his energy that drives this movie. The trick is that he's not playing a teen. He's playing mid-30s in a body of a teen.