Who says you are only young once? Every wish you were younger or could go back in time and do it all over again? Are there things that you would change?
In “17 Again” the popular high school senior Mike O’Donnell, played by Zac Efron, seemingly has it all. He is the star athlete headed straight for a college basketball scholarship when he decides to give it all up to settle down with his high school girlfriend Scarlet who is pregnant. Twenty years later, an adult Mike, played by Matthew Perry, finds his life is not exactly what he expected it to become and has been in a slump of what could have been. Separated from his wife Scarlett, played by Leslie Mann, and living with his wealthy software-genius-nerd and high school best friend Ned Freedman, played by Thomas Lennon, his career is at a stand still, and relationships with his teenage children are practically nonexistent. After getting passed up for yet another promotion at work, he returns to his high school to reminisce over the life he could have had.
The rest? An old janitor approached Mike while he is visiting his old high school and janitor casually makes conversation asking Mike if would like to do it all over again in which Mike responds with a very committed “you get that right.” After falling into a big whirlpool and a few hours later and Mike finds himself looking into the mirror at the face he had when he was 17. With a fun chase scene and light-saber battle with his best friend who thinks that he is a burglar, they determine that the old janitor was Mike’s “spirit guide” and that he was given the opportunity to live his life as a teenager again. Going full-force, Mike does not hesitate at the chance to return to his old school to live out the life he could have had and figure out what the real purpose of his transformation was. As for the rest, you should actually check that out for yourself. However, like most movies of this caliber, it is not without being highly predictable. Just enjoy it for the entertainment that it is.
The movie in itself is actually a great movie. It is also what I would call “cute.” I had rented the DVD from Blockbuster with a coupon that allowed me to get the rental at the same price as a non-new release for five days. I figured “why not?” since I would not be out but a couple of dollars. Getting home, I made sure to have my popcorn (I just love popcorn with movies, what can I say?), and then began the movie thinking that it was going to be to “teeny-bopper,” with the likes of Zac Efron (star of “High School Musical”) being in it, but I was quite surprised in his ability to act. Honestly I had no real basis to have thought about Efron in such a light, except that he was a “Disney” star and is popular among the younger teen crowd. Guess I was wrong, since Efron actually does a pretty good job playing an adult role as a teenager.
All-in-all, I would actually highly recommend this movie to rent. It is actually worth the few dollars you spend. I might even go as far to say that it is worth purchasing. It would be suffice to say that if you do not have any high expectations and just want a feel-good drama-comedy, then with a bit of surprise you will find you actually enjoy watching this movie. In the end, you just may be thinking of your byg0ne days.