17 Again (reviewed by Sebastian Ng)

17 Again is a high concept magic realism tale told through a series of cringeworthy scenes that go into directions predictable to any sophisticated moviegoer. That, and Zac Efron.

Now, when I watched the film, among the cinema audience were a bunch of girls who screamed and 'aww'-ed at every 'hot' or 'cute' Zac Efron moment; if the film had sucked badly it wouldn't have made a difference to those noisy girls. (That's why the poster featured Zac Efron against a white background, and nothing much else.)

For the rest of us, well, as long as you set your expectations right, the film is actually quite entertaining.

Zac Efron plays jaded salesman Mike O'Donnell, who wakes up one morning as his adolescent self. Never mind that Efron barely channels Matthew Perry; for instance, in scenes where O'Donnell-Efron tries to build up his son's self-esteem, he comes across more like a buddy when he's supposed to come across to the audience more like a concerned (and bewildered) father.

To be fair, the film does seem to recognise its limitations and deals with it by conspiring with the audience: the characters discuss fable and fantasy genre conventions in order to solve O'Donnell's predicament (which, come to think of it, is entirely reminiscent of Stranger Than Fiction); the thing with the old janitor and the magical whirlpool is dealt with in a truncated manner since they are such obvious plot devices; oh, and they have Zac Efron to keep the audience happy anyway. (I literally have a straight guy friend who thinks Efron is 'hot' from watching this film.)

Good Hollywood movies make use of set-ups and pay-offs, and these are very helpful particularly for movies whose plot progression are entirely predictable; when done well so that the set-ups aren't obvious, the pay-offs deliver enough 'aha' moments for the audience to enjoy themselves. Watch out for those moments in this film.

All in all, recommended for its fun factor. And Z―

How Good I Think The Film Is: 6/10
How Much I Liked It: 7/10

Cast Zac Efron, Matthew Perry, Leslie Mann, Thomas Lennon Director Burr Steers Runtime 102 mins Opens 4 June

Sebastian Ng studied filmmaking at the Los Angeles Film School in Hollywood, majoring in Directing and Sound Design but spent most of his time watching movies, and attending film festivals and meet-the-filmmaker sessions. Having returned to Malaysia in 2008, he currently works as a digital production coordinator for Rhythm & Hues Studios (Malaysia). He continues to fuel his passion for film by writing reviews and other ramblings for his blog, Cinematic Concerns.