21 Jump Street

Rating: 5/10 (24 February 2013)

I had always heard about the 1980's television show that made Johnny Depp a star and a teen idol (which he got annoyed by), and it was interesting to hear that they were making a film based on it, I had no idea about the plot of the show, so it would be interesting to see the film portray it. Basically Morton Schmidt (Jonah Hill) who was a nerd and Greg Jenko (Channing Tatum) who was a jock were formerly classmates in the same school, and only met again at police academy, and becoming friends they graduate as partners, but are assigned to park patrol, and trying to catch drug dealers and their leader Domingo (DeRay Davis) they are reassigned and the criminal is released because his rights were not given correctly. They are put in the specialty division that is revived together, Captain Dickson (Ice Cube) explains that it involves police officers who look youthful working undercover in a school, and they go to 21 Jump Street to do so, as a synthetic drug is spreading around and their job is catch the supplier. Their new identities are as brothers Doug and Brad McQuaid, living at Schmidt's parents' house, but their identities are accidentally switched and get each other's classes, but eventually they track down lead dealer Eric Molson (Dave Franco) who is giving out the drugs, but he is not the supplier and has no idea who that is. Eric is suspicious of the two cops, thinking they are older than they seem, and he forces them to take a sample of the drug right in front of him, and after leaving they unsuccessfully try to throw it up, and both of them go through the phases of the drug in front of the other students during classes. Both of them do eventually settle into their student roles, Schmidt fitting in with the popular youngsters and gaining a romantic interest with Eric's friend Molly Tracey (Brie Larson), and Jenko gaining nerdy friends in chemistry class and teacher Ms. Griggs (Ellie Kemper) finding him sexually attractive, and gain the complete trust of Eric they throw a house party, ignoring orders from Captain Dickson not to serve alcohol and drugs to the minors. They do manage to steal of cell phone which can be tapped if any calls come from the supplier of the drugs, and prom is approaching so Schmidt and Jenko are getting dates and suits ready for the night, but this is halted when they find out who Eric has been dealing with, it is Domingo and his gang, and they end up in a big chase when spotted. The two of them get into a bad argument about school and case stuff, and they end up expelled from the school and fired from the police and Jump Street, but before leaving they do get inside information from Eric that a drug deal will happen during the night of the prom, and that Domingo will meet with the supplier, so they continue to get ready to solve the case. Prom night comes, and they are surprised to see that physical education teacher Mr. Walters (Rob Riggle) is the supplier, then Domingo arrives and recognises the police officers, two of his take them out and are told to kill them, but they let them go and take off disguises to reveal themselves as DEA Agents Tom Hanson (Johnny Depp) and Doug Penhall (Peter DeLuise, Dom's son) who were part of the Jump Street program themselves when they began. Domingo gets the opportunity and kills Hanson and Penhall, and a gunfight ensues with the other two officers, being chased in a limo Jenko creates a homemade bomb to kill the gangster and his crew, and he also saves Schmidt when Mr. Walters attempts to shoot him,l the end sees Schmidt and Jenko correctly give the rights and congratulated by Dickson, Schmidt shares a kiss with Molly, and they are given a new college set assignment. Also starring Nick Offerman as Deputy Chief Hardy and Jake Johnson as Principal Dadier. Hill and Tatum are a reasonably good twosome as the often slow-witted and uncoordinated police officers who may be grown up but actually suit their younger identity changes, it was good for Depp to make a quick and unexpected cameo as well, I read that the story is not completely similar to that of the TV show, but it didn't matter to me, I got the gist of it, and it did have some funny moments, especially joking about television conventions and adolescent behaviours, the guns and bombs going on are quite fun too, a not bad action comedy. Worth watching!