National Lampoon's Van Wilder (2002)

'Van Wilder' certainly doesn't attempt to reinvent the wheel, sticking beat for beat with your standard college/slacker comedy, but like its star, Ryan Reynolds, it's an amiable enough flick that gets by more on its likability, fast pace and fun atmosphere than an abundance of laugh out loud gags.The aforementioned Reynolds is backed up by an equally likable, if perhaps culturally stereotypical, performance from Kal Penn. Together they make a solid comedic Batman and Robin. The rest of the cast fill in nicely around them, with only the talent-challenged Tara Reid seemingly out of her depth. Scary when you think about just how shallow 'Van Wilder' is.

During his seventh year at "Coolidge" college, handsome Ryan Reynolds (as Van Wilder) gets his tuition cut off by father Tim Matheson (as Van Wilder Sr.), an embarrassed "Animal House" (1978) alumni. When Mr. Matheson finds his son wearing a women's negligee at an underwear swap party, he fears Reynolds might be gay; obviously, Matheson doesn't catch on very fast anymore. However, Mr. Reynolds is enterprising young man; he uses his supposedly large genitalia to stay in school...Arousing blonde reporter Tara Reid (as Gwen Pearson) does a story on Reynolds. He turns from promiscuous and partying to thinking Ms. Reid might be that "special someone." For some reason, Reid's premature ejaculating boyfriend Daniel Cosgrove (as Richard Bagg) maintains a hold on Reid. For what it's worth, Mr. Cosgrove actually performs his role well. "Van Wilder" delivers lots of fart and balls humor, some beer and breasts, a few gay jokes... all climaxing in a huge dump.** Van Wilder (4/4/02) Walt Becker ~ Ryan Reynolds, Tara Reid, Daniel Cosgrove, Tim Matheson

National Lampoon used to create masterpieces like the original Vacation and Animal House. Seems that somebody decided that movie audiences didn't need, or didn't get, the intelligent nuances in movies like that and they could just churn out pieces of crap like this movie and reach a wider audience. I had heard about this film for years and finally decided to check it out. What a waste of my time. I not only didn't laugh, I didn't even crack a smile. This film seems to be about 30% bad Animal House rip offs and 70% Police Academy IV: Citizens On Patrol! Remember the opening scene in Animal House where they zoom in on the plaque at the bottom of the bronze statue of the school's founder? His great quote is "Knowledge is good." That's the kind of subtle intelligent humor thread that wends through a good comedy that makes the outrageous stuff (like Bluto in the cafeteria) all the more hilarious. Van Wilder has none of that intelligence, going instead for slow 13-year-olds as its target market. I'm no prude and I love outrageous humor, Team America and Idiocracy are 2 of my favorite films and I'm a big Family Guy and South Park fan. But, for all the irreverence, off-color humor and occasional grossness, those things also have lots of intelligence in them as well. Don't look for that in this turkey. Van Wilder is a waste of time and sad testimony to how low Lampoon has sunk.

I have watched this movie for years and can remember most lines of by heart. It is shamelessly funny and doesn't contain any dull moments. Its well thought out and what most comedy's should be like, a laugh a minute. Ryan Reynolds is a hilarious and Kal Penn supply's some of the funnest moments in the movieIts a shame the sequels don't have the same appeal and taint the name of a brilliant movie.This is also a movie that is better when shared with like minded people. A great movie for any movie night and you will be left smiling and quoting the movie for weeks after wards. "Now write that down"