In nature, it's the role of the parent animals to teach their offspring how to hunt or avoid being hunted, as well as how to rise to dominance or simply disappear into the pack, all determined by the instinctive nature of their species. And while the death or disappearance of the parents often automatically leads to the demise of the next generation, sometimes other adults will step in and assume that role.
While there are similarities in the human world, it usually don't boil down to the eat or be eaten scenario. Yet, temporary and permanent surrogate parental figures obviously exist, with the former often arriving in the form of big brother and sister type programs where outsiders are brought in to mentor, motivate or simply encourage kids to follow the right path and do their best.
Of course and probably to a greater extent than in the animal kingdom, there are human adults out there that simply shouldn't be involved in such programs. Cases in point are Danny and Wheeler, two men who aren't qualified to have their own children, let alone be involved in the lives of others.
Yet, that's exactly what occurs in "Role Models," a comedy that looks mediocre to bad on paper. And that's basically because we know that those on both sides of the adult-child equation will end up helping each other after initial conflict and disappointing results. Then there's the existence of the foul-mouthed kid and a substantial part of the plot revolving around a medieval style, role playing, fantasy league. Much to my surprise, much of that actually turns out to be fairly entertaining and funny in execution.
It's clearly not great or sophisticated comedy -- and certainly isn't for children despite them making up a significant amount of the cast -- but it becomes surprisingly clever and, dare I say, even a bit touching as it unfolds. While those in front of and behind the camera obviously share in the film's success at possessing both qualities, methinks the presence of Paul Rudd on both sides -- in the actor's chair and at the keyboard working on the script with director David Wain and co-writers Ken Marino and Timothy Dowling -- is one of if not the biggest reason for that.
Although he occasionally ends up in barely seen films, the actor always brings a fun snarkiness to most of his roles, thus often making him the best thing in offerings that are otherwise quickly forgotten. While he could play the character here -- a Debbie Downer type whose unhappiness in his life and career only amplifies his sarcasm -- in his sleep, Rudd is still fun and funny in it, both in dialogue and deadpan reaction.
His partner in crime is played by Sean William Scott who's yet to find a character to match the wild zaniness of Stifler from the "American Pie" flicks but mines some of those qualities to good effect. The two have a decent but not terribly memorable comedic chemistry together, but they do manage -- as has become the norm in these sorts of films nowadays -- to imbue their onscreen personas with enough charm to cut through all of the vulgar and crude material emanating from and surrounding them.
Despite inheriting a seemingly rote character -- that of a kid who disappears into a world of fantasy role playing due to low self-esteem and an unhappy family life -- Christopher "McLovin'" Mintz-Plasse manages to create a character a bit more complex and thus sympathetic than initially appears on the surface. To a lesser extent, Bobb'E J. Thompson somewhat does the same, but he's mostly relegated to playing a foul-mouthed kid straight out of the "Bad News Bears" camp.
The suddenly over-exposed Elizabeth Banks (also appearing in "W." and "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" all within a month) isn't given much to do as the girlfriend who's had enough of her boyfriend's sardonic attitude. Jane Lynch manages to get some laughs from her one-note character (designed as an over-the-top, type A personality designed to make the two adult protagonists seem "normal" in comparison), which also holds true for Ken Jeong as an adult who takes the fantasy role playing universe more than a bit too seriously.
Funnier and more charming than I imagined it would or could be, "Role Models" isn't anything great and it's certainly not for all viewers, but it surprisingly turns out to be fairly entertaining, meaning it has a good chance at surviving at the box office rather than being eaten up by the competition. It rates as a 5.5 out of 10.
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