April Movie Reviews - Part III: Boys Will Be Boys

17 Again

A very familiar story of a down-on-his-luck, middle-aged man (Matthew Perry) who magically reverts back to his high school self (Zac Efron) to right some wrongs. Efron is appealing enough -- but it's the supporting cast of Melora Hardin (The Office), Thomas Lennon and Leslie Mann who give the movie the extra humor needed to avert a re-telling disaster. Time for Efron to move out of the high school (weren't three editions of High School Musical enough?).

Grade: B-


Fighting

Channing Tatum plays a southern stud living in New York City with no money and no direction. He runs into a hustler (Terrence Howard) who lures him into the underground world of no-rules fighting. The story is very predictable, but Tatum is charming enough. It's no Fight Club, but kudos to the sound crew -- for the realistic and wince-inducing fight sounds.

Grade: C


Lymelife

Two dysfunctional families are entwined in this coming of age story set on Long Island in 1979 -- at the height of the Lyme Disease hysteria. Rory Culkin is excellent as the teenager coming to grips with his family falling apart -- at the same time he is falling deeply in love with a long-time friend (Emma Roberts). Funny and moving, yet not entirely satisfying. A great cast includes Alec Baldwin, Timothy Hutton and Cynthia Nixon.

Grade: B


Note: If you haven't seen my movie reviews from earlier this month or last month, click on the archives on the left. Most films showcased there are still in theaters.