17 Again :: Movie Review

Starring: Zac Efron and Matthew Perry

Mike O’Donnell (Matthew Perry) is down on his luck. His wife filed for divorce, his kids want nothing to do with him, and instead of receiving a well-deserved promotion, his loses his job. While rooming with his high school best friend, Ned—an obsessive, nerdy and super successful fantasy geek—Mike reflects on his life. He revisits his old high school, remembering that fateful day when his life offered two very different paths: play college basketball or commit to his pregnant girlfriend.

Turning Back the Clock

An encounter with a mysterious school janitor sends Mike back to his senior year of high school. Only it’s not 1989 he’s living in. It’s present day and somehow he’s 17 again! Mike (going by Mark) registers at his old high school, which his son Alex and daughter Maggie now attend. Mike befriends Alex and learns that he’s being bullied by Maggie’s scumbag boyfriend.

A Lot to Lose

Meanwhile, Mike’s soon-to-be ex-wife, Scarlett, notices his uncanny resemblance to her teenage husband. The two bond, and in no time Mike realizes his mistake. Even though he’s spent the last twenty years wondering what his life could have been, he can’t imagine a future without Scarlett. Somehow Mike has to save their marriage before he loses his kids, his home and the love of his life forever.

The Bottom Line

17 Again is a hilarious and heart-warming family film. Teen heartthrob Zac Efron (High School Musical) and Matthew Perry (Friends) make a perfect team. In recent interviews, they even claimed to have studied and practiced each other’s mannerisms in order to nail down their character’s personality.

Zac Efron’s acting skills have come a long way since High School Musical. He couldn’t have played a better middle aged man trying to act 17. And best of all, he kept his irresistible teenage charm. He can dance, he can sing and now he’s proven himself as a great comedic actor. The future looks bright for Zac Efron.

17 Again Rating:

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