You won’t remember “17 Again” again after you’ve seen it. The sweet but banal fantasy comedy has one noteworthy claim, at least to a segment of his young female fan base: It’s the first time cutie Zac Efron has gotten to carry a picture.
The undeniably charismatic “High School Musical” alumnus shows potential as a movie star. He’s the best thing here. If only he had picked richer material than this derivative take on the already worn premise about the adult who gets the chance — by means of far-fetched plot device — to relive his or her youth. It was done with more wit in “Peggy Sue Got Married,” more heart in “Never Been Kissed” and more brazen farce in both “Freaky Friday” films.
Burr Steers, the director of the provocative indie film “Igby Goes Down,” turns surprisingly safe with today’s Jason Filardi screenplay about a middle-aged man’s wacky attempt to redress a lifetime of regret.
Mike O’Donnell (a shockingly puffy Matthew Perry) never lived up to his professional potential after choosing to forfeit college to take care of his pregnant girlfriend. Now, he’s alienated from his teenage children, Maggie (Michelle Trachtenberg) and Alex (Sterling Knight). And he’s two weeks from divorce with that childhood sweetheart, his wife of 20 years, Scarlet (Leslie Mann). But then Mike falls off a bridge — in a cinematic contrivance that makes even less sense than these things usually do — and is thus transformed back into his younger, better self.
Why, he’s 17 again!! And he gets to go back to high school looking just like Zac Efron. Mike perpetrates the ruse with the help of his best friend for all these years, the wealthy nerd Ned (the movie’s one originally drawn character, hilariously played by Thomas Lennon).
Predictably, all wrongs will be righted. Mike, as a peer, helps his children navigate cliché-ridden adolescent challenges including bullies, sports and romance. Meanwhile, the hero surreptitiously woos his soon-to-be ex-wife, reminding her of the boy with whom she first fell in love.
There are semi-creepy intimations of the cougar flirtation between them and the nearly incestuous flirtation between “young” Mike and his own daughter. Also, the script gets the timeline wrong so that young Mike and Maggie are seniors at the same time.
That unnecessary goof only demonstrates the lack of care taken to make “17” more than just a number.
Quick Info
‘17 Again’
2 out of 5 stars
Stars: Zac Efron, Leslie Mann, Matthew Perry
Director: Burr Steers
Rated PG-13 for language, some sexual material and teen partying.
Running Time: 98 minutes
