By: debbie lynn elias
Where is Chevy Chase when you need him? Clearly, nowhere to found in this latest outing from the National Lampoon franchise, “National Lampoon’s Van Wilder.” An obvious attempt to bring that immortal Lampoon classic, “Animal House”, into the 21st Century, this is the tale, or shall we say, saga, of Van Wilder, big man on Coolidge College campus – albeit for seven years and still 18 credits shy of graduation – with a penchant and talent for parties and party planning, babes, practicing safe sex, parties, wheeling and dealing, parties, and surprisingly, being a philanthropic overall nice guy. His charisma rivals that of his father, played here by that familiar Lampooner Tim Matheson, best known as “Animal House” Delta Rush Chairman, Otter – another smooth, likable, wheeler, dealer and schemer. Wilder is adored and beloved by almost every student on campus, not to mention a few faculty members. His social calendar is such that he requires a personal assistant. Of course, he does have his enemies, the most notable of which are pre-med fraternity boy, Rick, President of the DIK house and economics Professor McDougle.
Enter Gwen Pearson, beautiful, serious and ambitious journalism major and reporter for “The Liberator.” Known best for her insightful stories on euthanasia and cafeteria food (yawn), Gwen is given the plum assignment of the year – an expose of Van Wilder, scheduled to headline the front page in the graduation issue. There’s one problem. Gwen goes with Rick from DIK and doesn’t subscribe to the Wilder life. Nevertheless, she steps up to the plate, taking her assignment in earnest and interviews, er dates, no interviews, Van Wilder to get the “inside story.” With funds cut-off by his father due to his perpetual student status, Van’s schemes to earn money as a professional party planner serve as the backdrop for Gwen’s investigation and help tell the tale of “Who is Van Wilder?” What she finds is a guy with a heart of gold, an exceptional academic record (when he bothered to show up to class) and a fear of growing up and out, becoming a little fish in a big pond rather than the big fish in the little pond as he is at college.
Along the way, we get the typical National Lampoon humor, only taken to new depths of grossness. Although parties are hearty, nerds get girls, rich boys and jocks rival for supremacy, professors are mocked, nakedness and sex abound, and flatulence and bodily functions are watchwords, everything is old hat just at a different, and often unfunny level. Instead of an innocuous John Belushi imitating exploding pimples, we now have pastries filled with dog-semen (don’t even ask), children vomiting out of school bus windows and other disgusting takes on bodily functions.
Ryan Reynolds, best known for his television work in “Two Guys and a Girl”, is perfectly cast as the suave and charming Van Wilder, but I don’t think he signed on for the job of savior when he took the role. Although Reynolds brings a symbiotic hilarity, confidence and yes, innocence, to Wilder, it’s not enough to overcome the lack of working material. Tara Reid as super reporter Gwen spends most of the movie looking good, smiling and batting her baby-blues – a true waste of her comedic talent which we saw in “American Pie 2.” Kal Penn steps in as Taj, sex-crazed exchange student from India whose only desire is to experience oral sex and work for the master himself, Van Wilder. In an obvious, but failed, attempt to tie in “Van Wilder” with “Animal House”, although given third billing for a seeming cameo appearance, Tim Matheson appears as Van Wilder, Sr. Writers Brent Goldberg and David Wagner missed the boat here by not expanding on his character. Still as charming and handsome as ever, Matheson always gives a solid performance and is a joy to watch. A well-placed cameo role by Curtis Armstrong (Booger in “Revenge of the Nerds” and Herbert Viola in “Moonlighting”) adds a nice touch to the college party atmosphere. Paul Gleason, best known for his roles as pain-in-butt educator, parent and spoofing cop, is ideal as Professor McDougle and serves as a vehicle for bringing closure to the Wilder saga.
Unfortunately, J2 Communications, owners of the rights to the National Lampoon trademark since 1990, has allowed the once highly acclaimed Lampoon level of comedy to sink to new lows. How this film received an R rating is beyond me. The gross factor alone is enough to warrant a new categorization by the MPAA. If novice director Walt Becker was looking to make a name for himself here, he certainly has done so – – together with whatever geniuses decided to release the film after the end of spring break. They should all be horse whipped, flogged or subjected to the flatulence flaunted in the film.
