Screenhead

If you haven’t asked this question of yourself at one point or another, then chances are you haven’t yet turned twenty five: what would you do if you had it to do again?  I’ve wondered that more than once, believe me–you wouldn’t think so, me living the dream of film criticism and all…but it’s true.  And in 17 Again, we’ll get to see just what happens when someone gets the chance.

Mike O’Donnell is a family man with regrets.  He could have, you see, gone on to college on a basketball scholarship, possibly even gone pro, but instead he married his pregnant high school sweetheart.  Doing the right thing by the young lady has left him disenchanted with life and constantly wondering about what might have been.  And when he gets the chance to be, well, 17 Again, he discovers that maybe he’s right where he should be.

Let’s be honest: this will ONLY be good if you can stand this sort of thing.  There are some good jokes in here, and Thomas Lennon is always a hoot in anything he shows up in.  It’s funny, sure–but it also tries really, REALLY, hard to be heartwarming.  Almost too hard, really.  But despite this, there’s actually a lot to like here.

The Screenhead Ten Scale is actually somewhat puzzled by this one, and in its puzzlement, hands 17 Again a six out of ten for being a fine example of a movie that only a certain kind of person will ever really enjoy.  If you’re looking for a comedy with a note of romance and and drama, and you can stand a huge load of Zac Efron, well, you should be in the right place.