neumu [ cinematronic ]




	National Lampoon's Van Wilder
	Walt Becker Ryan Reynolds, Tara Reid, Tim Matheson, Paul Gleason 2002		Boasting the "National Lampoon" brand, this flatulent comedy — sort of "Ferris Bueller Goes to College" — wants to be an "Animal House" for the 21st century. That's a funnier joke than anything on screen, including gross-out bits built around dog semen and laxatives and other recycled gags. Van Wilder (Ryan Reynolds), the oldest big man on campus, is in his seventh year as an undergrad at Coolidge College. Well loved by most of his fellow students, he's a party guy who deliberately stays a few credits short of graduation while bleeding his wealthy father for tuition every semester. Supposedly, all the girls want to do Van, and all the guys want to be him. Van digs the status quo until he falls for a cute reporter (Tara Reid of "American Pie") on an assignment from the school paper to get his story. Her selfish frat-rat boyfriend gets jealous and plots against Van. Van strikes back, etc. Since Van is a tad effeminate in a wimpy sub-Jim Carrey way, his girl appeal is a stretch. Lampoon? No. Lame-poon.