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Back to School (1986)

Review by The_Dman313

Back to School

7/10

Fun, Funny, and Feel-good

What I liked: +Amazing opening! Not only does it establish and juxtapose the rest of the film, but it exerts a nostalgic, photographic, black and white style not seen for the rest of the film. Although it's disappointing that the director didn't keep the creative mojo up, this single sequence still shows his inventiveness and feels purely his own.

+The cast is full of colorful characters! Some with limited screen time still make their character quirks come out, striking it as memorable. These characters are entertaining to watch, and it's through their performance that they actually feel even plausible. This adds sincerity to these roles, where at times they seem to lack on the page.

+The cast works well off each other. With each character comes a sense of predictability (I say this in a good way), making us savor and expect each response. Each response then feels like a situation that deserves our attention.

+Rodney Dangerfield is charming! Maybe it's his happy go lucky attitude or the fact that he's actually a nice guy with intentions, but he's just really likable and fun to watch. It makes the whole film all the easier to laugh at.

+This is a film with respect for it's style. Yes, it's over the top, but it's consistent with that. They give each emotion the right amount of sensitivity. With each joke they always fit it into the context of the story, feeling true throughout.

What I disliked: -There are some dumb plot points. They never truly feel representative of real people, which sucks since the film is full of interesting people who could use depth. Still, it established the plot fast and doesn't hinder the entertainment value too much.

-A couple of side characters whom held importance could have had more screen time and depth. This is evident with the son's girlfriend who is just a cliche.
  • The_Dman313
  • Dec 28, 2018

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