21 Jump Street
Directed By: Phil
Lord and Chris Miller
Written By:
Michael Bacall, working from a story by Bacall and Jonah Hill
Starring: Jonah
Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Dave Franco, Brie Larson, Rob Riggle, Chris
Parnell, Ellie Kemper, and Nick Offerman.
Director of Photography: Barry Peterson, Editor: Joel
Negron, Production Designer: Peter Wenham, Original Music: Mark Mothersbaugh
Why
exactly is Channing Tatum so great in the new comedy 21 Jump Street? The young star has been criticized by many for
simply being a piece of man candy, whether in actions roles like G.I. Joe or romances like The Vow (those who know him from smaller
works like A Guide to Recognizing Your
Saints are aware of his supreme talent). Tatum’s best ability as an actor
is that he can play dead serious, which might suggest he has little range, but
works perfectly in a comedy like this where he must deliver absurd lines
without a hint of irony. Tatum’s hot bod and true conviction, despite the
absurdity of the situations the film places him in, help make 21 Jump Street a hell of a fun time.
The
film is of course a retooling of the little known television series from the
1980s with Johnny Depp, about an undercover cop who infiltrates a high school.
Most of the film’s audience, including myself, have never seen the series (a
fact one of the characters acknowledges in one of the film’s most humorous
jokes). Thus, screenwriter Michael Bacall, who co-wrote the story with star
Jonah Hill, retooled it as a buddy comedy and action parody, a genre that may
have lots its edge, but works perfectly here. And while 21 Jump Street could hardly say to break ground at all, it
certainly is a fun ride while it lasts.
