Role Models

Plot

Wild behavior forces a pair of energy drink reps to enroll in a Big Brother program.

Release Year: 2008

Rating: 7.0/10 (83,159 voted)

Critic's Score: 60/100

Director:
David Wain

Stars: Paul Rudd, Seann William Scott, Elizabeth Banks

Storyline
Danny and Wheeler, well into their 30s, lack something: Danny feels stuck; he's sour and has driven away his terrific girlfriend. Wheeler chases any skirt he sees for empty sex. When they get in a fight with a tow-truck driver, they choose community service over jail and are assigned to be big brothers – Danny to Augie, a geek who loves participating in a weekend Medieval reenactment society, and Wheeler to Ronnie, a pint-size foul-mouthed kid. After a rocky start, things start to go well until both Danny and Wheeler make big mistakes. Can the two men figure out how to change enough to be role models to the boys?

Writers: Timothy Dowling, W. Blake Herron

Cast:

Seann William Scott
–

Wheeler

Paul Rudd
–

Danny

Christopher Mintz-Plasse
–

Augie

Bobb'e J. Thompson
–

Ronnie

Elizabeth Banks
–

Beth

Jane Lynch
–

Sweeny

Ken Jeong
–

King Argotron

Ken Marino
–

Jim Stansel

Kerri Kenney
–

Lynette

(as Kerri Kenney-Silver)

A.D. Miles
–

Martin

Joe Lo Truglio
–

Kuzzik

Matt Walsh
–

Davith of Glencracken

Nicole Randall Johnson
–

Karen

Alexandra Stamler
–

Esplen

(as Allie Stamler)

Carly Craig
–

Connie

Taglines:
I am not a ROLE MODEL.

Details

Official Website:
Sturdy Wings |
Universal [United States] |

Release Date: 7 November 2008

Filming Locations: Boys & Girls Club of Venice – 2232 Lincoln Blvd, Venice, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office Details

Budget: $28,000,000

(estimated)

Opening Weekend: $19,167,085
(USA)
(9 November 2008)
(2792 Screens)

Gross: $91,826,289
(Worldwide)
(5 April 2009)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min
 |
101 min
(unrated version)

Did You Know?

Trivia:

Before Danny proposes, Wheeler tells him that they have to be at Blue Valley Middle School. Blue Valley is the name of the actual middle school that Paul Rudd attended in Overland Park, Kansas.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible:
When Beth moves out of Danny's home, she drives off and a big white "wall" can be seen off the car's reflection.

Quotes:

[First Line]

Wheeler:
Thanks for everything. Guess what I did last night.

User Review

Do what makes you happy. This film actually believes it.

Rating: 9/10


Role Models – Two energy drink spokesmen, Wheeler and Danny (Seann
William Scott and Paul Rudd) get in trouble with the law after Danny
has a break-up with his girlfriend (Elizabeth Banks who is in
everything these days). They are given the choice of jail or community
service with troubled kids, and choose the latter. Danny is given a boy
Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse of Superbad) who wears a cape and is
into role-playing games. Wheeler is given a foul mouthed terror of a
boy (Bobb'e J. Thompson).

Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott have good chemistry. Rudd has dry
sarcasm to spare and Scott plays a sex-addled numbskull. Their
interactions with the two talented young boys are funny and
occasionally sweet. Bobb'e J. Thompson is one of the better child
actors of his age and makes the nightmare of every teacher a cool often
wickedly funny little character. Christopher Mintz-Plasse, or
"McLovin'" as he's known throughout America, plays essentially the same
character but sweeter and shy and, funny enough, less creepy. So yeah,
he's pretty firmly typecast as "dork" at this point. But he's a very
palatable dork and may help raise the image of dorks everywhere above
the status of subhuman. I heard many girls in the audience very
sensitive to his plight in the audience.

A few parts of the plot are contrived. But aside from a few film snobs,
who goes to see a comedy for its original plot? The important thing is
the laughs, and this is where the film delivers. Directed by David
Wain, maker of The Ten (funny cult film), and written by Wain and Paul
Rudd, this film is hilarious. The laughs were frequent and hearty. One
of the films defining elements is the showcasing of role-playing games
such as Dungeons&Dragons (here it is known as L.A.I.R.E). Role Models
takes a surprisingly even handed look at it. It pokes fun, of course
(so easy). But there is also respect ingrained. The result is a case of
"so lame it's awesome" where the absurdity of D&D is given the gravitas
of your average Hollywood blockbuster. It's hilarious, and does look
terribly fun.

And it's here that the film makes it's stand. Do what makes you happy,
no matter what your parents or anyone else tells you. It's been said in
so many films that the message seems false at this point. But in Role
Model's extreme example of people doing what makes them happy, it
really does ring true. You got to give a bunch of people playing with
foam swords in the forest their due. They're doing what makes them
happy. Can you say the same for yourself? I can't right now.

This was a delightful film. It may be a bad year for movies, but it's a
damn fine one for comedy. A-