If I could turn back time (17 Again (DVD))

Member Name: wendz86

Product:	17 Again (DVD)
Date:	01/10/09 (99 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good story, good acting

Disadvantages: Not the best teen film ever

This is another film that I wanted to see at the cinema and never actually got round to it. Seems to happen a lot actually, but is cheaper sometimes to get the DVD!

Anyway Seventeen Again was released on DVD just a few months ago. It is one of the latest films in the teenage comedy romance sector. I do think there has been a bit of a lack of these types of films recently and they are my favourites. It could be argued that I am too old for these films but I still tend to love them.

The story of seventeen again is based around the main character Mike O Donnell (Matthew Perry and Zac Efron). As he was growing up he was the star basketball player, was popular, had the perfect girlfriend and was just about to be offered a scholarship to college. Just before his big game Mike hears news from his girlfriend Scarlett(Allison Miller and Leslie Mann) that brings his world crashing down, she is pregnant. He goes back to the basketball game but can't do it and runs after Scarlett.

The story then moves forward to when Mike is an adult. He is in a job that he hates and keeps missing out on a promotion. He is in the middle of divorcing Scarlett and he hardly knows his kids at all. He ends up moving in with his best friend Ned (Thomas Lennon) from school. One day something really strange happens though and when he wakes up he isn't himself but is the 17 year old version of his self. The story then follows what happens to him.

I think the story is good, it is is kind of the opposite to 13 going on 30 so you can see where they got their inspiration from. It isn't something that could really happen so is slightly unbelievable but I don't think that really affected my enjoyment. It was a fun story that also has some slightly deeper undertones to it. There are elements of comedy and also of romance which make a good combination in a film.

The humour in the film is good. Some of it is quite silly but there are also slightly more clever parts, such as how the teenagers behave. I thought both Matthew Perry and Zac Efron were able to play this comedy well. Matthew Perry obviously comes from a comedy background so this was easy to believe.

I also liked the romance elements of the film. These were done quite well, especially in the weird situation where he is a 17 year old boy again. It was built up throughout the film but not too heavilly. I thought Zac Efron did well with this as well. He did play the hearthrob in the High School Musical films but I think he took this to another level in this film.

Zac Efron was the main actor to play Mike throughout the film and I thought he did a good job. I enjoy the High School Musical films but never thought he was particularly good in them. I think 17 Again allows him to be seen more seriously as an actor. It is a teenage film, yes but he does act well in a role where he has to be an adult in a teenagers body. He did fit the role very well and you could almost believe him and Matthew Perry were the same person.

Thomas Lennon played Ned well also. He was obviously the token comedy character in the film and took on this role well. There weren't really any serious parts to his character but he did well with what he was given. The other actors and actresses in the film all did a good job also. It wasn't a particularly deep film so I don't think anyone would have won any awards for their acting. It was all very good though and I was pleasently surprised by Zac Efron.

The film is 98 minutes in total which felt like a good length for me. It wasn't dragged out at all and felt it included all the important parts to make the story. I didn't find myself checking the clock while watching it.

This can be bought on DVD for around £7 now from Amazon.

Overall I thought Seventeen Again was a very enjoyable film. It had some good acting and kept me entertained.

Summary: A good entertaining teenage romance comedy