I love films where you can tell the actors are having a blast. Not going to qualify that. It’s pretty clear that Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum loved making 22 Jump Street. You can tell from the opening sequence where Jonah has to “get into character” going undercover as a barrio Queso Grande. His stereotypical representation of an extra in ‘hood movie is funny enough as is … and then prodding Channing to contribute to the conversation and realizing that his partner has zero capacity for East L.A. speak is a riot. It’s a pretty good bet that the entire crew checked out the dailies afterwards.
22 Jump Street knows it’s a sequel. I also like a film that makes no pretense. Deputy Chief Hardy (Nick Offerman) explains the sequel set-up to Schimdt (Hill) and Jenko (Tatum) with the repeated phrase “do the same thing!” Jenko breaks in with a plea for something new, like Secret Service duty for the President, and is rebuked for such a foolish idea. (You almost get the feeling that Channing Tatum is winking at us when he sheepishly protests.) I think one of the keys to a successful sequel is not imagining awards — it’s a sequel, not Schindler’s List; have fun with it. And fun is the word.
Plot? See: Jump Street, 21. Dudes go undercover at a school looking to uproot a drug dealer. Sound familiar? And they split, because they’re very different people, of course. Jenko gets into football and the frat buddy system; there’s some serious repressed homosexuality in this plotline. Schmidt gets into poetry and Ice Cube’s daughter, Maya (Amber Stevens). I think even Ice Cube is enjoying playing the pissed off dad/boss.
Of several standout bit roles, the best is Maya’s antagonistic roomie Mercedes (Jillian Bell). Jillian Bell and Jonah Hill –who have weirdly similar names– have the best screen fistfight of the year. It doesn’t make a
ny sense, but what does in this film? Comedy historians will appreciate a cutaway when a chase passes by the “Benjamin Hill Center for Film Studies” to the tune of “Yakety Sax.” You’ll get it if you know the song.
22 Jump Street also has the best end credit sequence of the year, where the filmmakers outline the next 20 iterations of the formula. As formulas go, it’s no Krebs Cycle, nor New Coke, nor even Baby. It’s a comic sequel I want to see a second time; it’s not art, but for what it is, I’m not sure I can give a higher recommendation.
A Jenko and Schmidt fraternity
Now they’re in college, don’t you see?
Drugs are to blame
For repeating the game
They’ve already mapped 23
Rated R, 112 Minutes
D: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller
W: Michael Bacall, Oren Uziel and Rodney Rothman
Genre: Unabashed, unashamed sequel!
Type of person most likely to enjoy this film: Teenager
Type of person least likely to enjoy this film: True life detectives
