What would you do if you got a second shot at life? Class of 1989, Mike O'Donnell is a star on his high school basketball court with a college scout in the stands and a bright future in his grasp. But instead, he decides to throw it all away to share his life with his girlfriend Scarlett and the baby he just learned they are expecting. Almost 20 years later, Mike's glory days are decidedly behind him. His marriage to Scarlett has fallen apart, he has been passed over for a promotion at work, his teenage kids think he is a loser, and he has been reduced to crashing with his high school nerd-turned-techno-billionaire best friend Ned. But Mike is given another chance when he is miraculously transformed back to the age of 17. Unfortunately, Mike may look 17 again, but his thirty-something outlook is totally uncool in the class of 2009. And in trying to recapture his best years, Mike could lose the best things that ever happened to him.

Going into 17 Again I was expecting your typical body/age switch film that were so popular during the 1980’s and have recently made a comeback with films like 13 going on 30 and the remake of Freaky Friday. And for the most part that was the case but the film seemed to have a little more warmth and depth then other recent movies using the same model. Not only is Mike O'Donnell trying to fix his life that he has managed to get sidetracked he also trying to fix the lives of his children that also aren’t going as planned. Normally these movies just deal with one character but 17 Again takes in all the aspects of everyone Mike O'Donnell has come in contact with from his wife to his children, to his best friend Ned and it adds emotional depth previous movies of the same make lacked.

If you were to compare 17 Again to anything it would almost be like Big in reverse where Mike gets to revert to his old self and stay in the same time frame. This allows for much hilarity of course because Mike doesn’t belong in today’s world of cell phones, tweeter, facebook and social interactions but because of his good looks he manages to get along despite his social ineptitude in the modern world. The movie hits that emotional core that most people feel every now and then of how nice it might be to go back and do everything over now armed with the knowledge that one gains with age. But the film stays to that very Disney happily ever formula that states if given the chance to do it all over and reflect on things one likely wouldn’t. By being stuck in the present as a young Mike rather than the past, Mike would have to give up his family and his life to do things over and that leads to a very predictable choice and the downfall of the movie predictability.

The film though is redeemed by Ned who plays the perpetually geeky and uberly rich best friend. I went in expecting to not like the film but was completely shocked to actually have really enjoyed the film and that all came down to Ned as his character which led to half of the humor of the film. He simply stole the movie from everyone else in it and made the film that much better and funnier. And it wasn’t tongue in cheek kind of humor either it was over the top hilarious and almost too outrageous to be true humor. From a house decked out in star wars merchandise to a bed shaped like a land speeder every moment was comedic gold.

I admit part of the reason I wasn’t expecting the movie to be that good was because of Zac Efron as he really isn’t that great of an actor. He is your typical Disney machine kind of actor that is cute and all the tweeners will swoon over but also an actor with very little depth. But the movie gets past Efron’s inability to act with a great plot, funny subplots and fun characters. Outside of Thomas Lennon who plays Ned none of the actors gave that great of performance but as an ensemble cast they actually managed to make the movie worth seeing. The movie is no masterpiece by any means but it is cute, it is funny and honestly worth the price of admission.

Grade: B