KICKIN’ IT OLD SKOOL
(PG-13)
MOVIE: * (out of 5)
DVD EXPERIENCE: *1/2 (out of 5)
STARRING
Jamie Kennedy as JUSTIN SCHUMACHER
Maria Menounos as JENNIFER STONE
Miguel A. Nunez, Jr. as DARNELL JACKSON
Michael Rosenbaum as KIP UNGER
Christopher McDonald as MARTY SCHUMACHER
Debra Jo Rupp as SYLVIA SCHUMACHER
Created by: Harvey Glazer
Studio: Yari Film Group
BY KEVIN CARR
After being taken to task for my scathing reviews by Jamie Kennedy in his upcoming film “Heckler,” I have vowed to give the guy a break. But then he comes out with a movie like “Kickin’ it Old Skool.” It’s not a terribly unique premise – a guy wakes up from a 20-year coma to deal with life out of the 80s. To win back his girl, he must reunite his old breakdancing team and win a contest.
I suppose this film was meant to be a fish-out-of-water comedy, but I’ve seen this sort of thing done more effectively in other films. And while Jamie Kennedy’s character of Justin is supposed to be an 11-year-old in a 30-year-old’s body, it seems he has suffered irreparable brain damage in his coma.
Beyond the bad writing, the godawful performances and the tired premise, one of the biggest strikes against this film is the ridiculously hot Jennifer (Maria Menounos) falling for a dork like Justin. It’s one thing to bring the hot chick into a film for eye candy purposes, but to leave her void of a character and personality, and to not even grace us with a good bikini moment, is unforgivable.
There are some funny moments here and there, but they’re linked together by overly long sequences of mediocre breakdancing, good actors (i.e., Christopher McDonald and Debra Jo Rupp) chewing the scenery to pick up a paycheck and unbelievable unfunny gags with Kennedy and company.
The DVD comes with deleted scenes and the theatrical trailer.