Comedy Watch: 21 Jump Street (2012)

Watched:  05/15/2020
Format:  Amazon Streaming
Viewing:  First
Decade:  2010's
Director:  Phil Lord, Chris Miller


As it starred neither apes nor robots, I was never a watcher of the original 21 Jump Street when it was on TV.  I knew roughly what it was about, but I don't believe I've ever seen an episode.  Between this fact and the massive pile of comedy remakes that had been hitting since the mid-90's Brady Bunch revival, I was in no particular rush to see this movie. 

But, then I learned it was a Lord & Miller movie and gave it a shot.  All in all, an ideal Friday-night comedy with enough Lord & Miller stuff to make it really work.  The cast is great (special shout out to Ellie Kemper) and there's a ton of really good stuff packed into 90 minutes, even with some pretty pat "high school kids sure are different now!" stuff that's a little hard to buy with only 7 years passed since our heroes supposedly graduated high school.

Pretty clearly there was a lot more shot, as a few things are referred to and it looks like some unused stuff wound up in the credits.  Which makes me reflect on the assignment of Lord & Miller to the Solo Star Wars movie, and their eventual firing.  What did Disney think they were getting, again?

Anyway, the movie is exactly what you think it is, maybe funnier than you'd guess.