Before I start there is something that I’m going to have to make clear. If you think that films like ‘Road Trip’, ‘American Pie’ and ‘Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back’ are ridiculous, crude and about as funny as root canal then it’s fair to say that you will not like Old School. It is exactly the same kind of humour as the films that I mentioned and if you don’t like these kinds of comedies then you would be as well stopping reading now and going off and doing something else.

Are you still here? Good, because if you are still here that’s because you can see these films for what they are. They are not high art or a film with any kind of message or cause, rather these kinds of comedies do what they say on the tin, they make you laugh your ass off! Old School is no exception to this and proves that there is still life in the college campus/ teen comedy genre yet.

Taking its cues from the likes of ‘National Lampoon’s Animal House’, Old School is a riotous college comedy that is fairly derivative in that it has all the usual elements that you associate with these types of films (losers battling against the system, drunk party guy etc.). However, it gives it a fresh spin by including the whole thirty something guy trying to recapture his youth angle. Helping the film no end is the three leads, the thirty something’s that I mentioned.

Yes, it has to be said that the film would flounder pretty badly without the charismatic and wonderfully comic performances by Wilson, Vaughn and Ferrell. Wilson has what could be construed as the main role and steps up to the leading man plate brilliantly. The Wilson family is something special in that each member seems to have a tremendous knack for comedy. Owen is among the best on the go at the moment and Luke is right up there. His slightly underplayed Mitch is vulnerable, but strong when the ‘Godfather’ needs to be.

Vince Vaughn is an actor that I like a lot and he has showed in the past that he is more than capable of doing well in comedies. His character here is gung-ho about the frat, in-fact he is the main driving force for much of the film. But, the bulk of the laughs that he provides comes form the fact that he is all for the frat, unless it looks like it will jeopardise his marriage. He is a wannabe and Vaughn shows this conflict well.

As good as Vaughn and Wilson are, the film is completely dominated by Will Ferrell as Frank the Tank. Frank is a work of comic genius as he steps up to take over where John Belushi’s Bluto Blutarsky left off. Frank is a good man, who means well, but put a beer in his hand and he turns into his Mr Hyde, The Tank. The bulk of the films funniest scenes come as a result of the various drunken antics that Frank finds himself in. Ferrell is definitely one of films finest up and coming comedic talents, when this guy finally gets to lead a film himself, he is going to break huge.

The rest of the cast are pretty much a faceless bunch making up the usual crew of college stereotypes. Keep an eye out for Seann William Scott though as his appearance marks the beginning of the films funniest scene. Andy Dick also shows up, but his moments as a blow job consultant are relatively laugh free and make for a pretty big lull in the movie about half way through.

Writer/Director Todd Phillips is in familiar territory here as he was also responsible for the similar Road Trip. He again makes a funny film here, but it will be interesting to see how he fares when (if?) he strays of campus for his next film. As was the case in Road Trip the soundtrack really helps the feel and mood of the film, an eclectic mix of music from Whitesnake to Snoop Dog. Best of all though is an ‘alternative’ rendition of ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ by a wedding band. I’ve got to get that mp3!

What Old School also shares with Road Trip is a pretty big slip in the laughter in the final half hour. As the plot drives forward the laughter rate drops. The film concentrates more on Mitch’s prospective romance and the Frat’s problems with the dean rather than making the audience laugh, which is a bit of a shame. That said though the first hour of the film is hilarious and makes up for the pretty mundane final third, just.