17 Again

Switch-a-roo movies are a dime a dozen, and the one thing they all have in common is their lack of imagination. This one was at least fun to watch, but I do think it would be more enjoyable for the few people that actually enjoyed High School. Mike (Perry) is having mid life decision regrets about the path he took in High School. His marriage is falling apart and his wife is the "decision" he is now regretting. He has a son and daughter in high school that he doesn't understand, when he gets a second shot at life. **Poof** Mike is now 17 Again. He has now got to figure out how to blend. He changes his name to Mark [clever] and he moves in with his best friend who pretends to be his Dad. He enrolls in the high school and joins the Basketball team where he becomes the star...again. This time he is not going to squander his opportunity for a girl-even though his soon to be ex wife is always in his thoughts. The return to high school gives him insight into his kids lives and he tries to council them as their friend since they wouldn't listen to him as their Father. He is king once again and he likes it. He really grows with his son, but his daughter is more on the hate side with him. He tries to break her and her bf up, and she is not receptive to say the least. What sets this film apart from the other ones with similar premis' is the cougar/youngan relationship. Mike, now Mark, reminds her of her high school sweetheart/ soon to be ex husband as he should. He sweet talks her and their relationship builds to a point of no return, but she knows she cannot be with a 17 year old. She is suspicious of this new boy and the absence of Mike, but the realm of possibility keeps her thinking it's just coincidence. He does stay on course with his basketball mulligan dreams because he feels he will not return to adult form without re-growing up. This was a really good movie about a mature mind being in the body of his 17 year old self and the decisions he must make for himself and his family. What direction will he go in round 2? This movie surprised me with it's cleverness. Plus Zac Effron is kind of dreamy.


NBM rates 17 Again - Awesome