Role Models

Although they are more co-workers than real friends, self-loathing misanthrope Danny (Paul Rudd) and irresponsible womanizer Wheeler (Seann William Scott) find themselves bonding as a result of their joint, court-ordered mentorship of troubled kids from dysfunctional families. Danny's charge is a nerdy teen (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) who role-plays in a medieval fantasy world; Wheeler's is an aggressive, foul-mouthed lad (Bobb'e J. Thompson) whose idea of fun is ogling women's breasts. In the process of helping these kids, the two misfits find their own redemption. Sound a wee bit on the pat and corny side? Role Models has the potential to be a truly subversive comedy but cops out in the third act, conjuring up a feel-good finale that allows Danny to reconcile with his ex-girlfriend (Elizabeth Banks) long after she's decided the relationship is over. Still, while the screenwriters—Rudd among them—and director David Wain go for the easy laugh far too often, at its best the film boasts an easygoing charm enhanced by the loose, improvisational performances of its engaging cast. A strong optional purchase. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include both the theatrical and unrated versions of the film, audio commentary by director David Wain, 50 minutes of deleted scenes and outtakes, the production featurettes “Game On: Creating a Role Playing World” (10 min.), “On the Set” (8 min.), and “In Character & Off Script” (8 min.), four minutes of bloopers, a “Ye Old Crest Maker” feature, and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray version are a picture-in-picture track with interview and behind-the-scenes footage and the BD-Live function. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a slightly better-than-average comedy.] (E. Hulse)