A smarter movie than it needed to be, works on multiple levels.

Rating: 8/10 (16 March 2012)

21 Jump Street is one-part gross-out comedy flick, one-part satire of buddy comedy tropes, and one-part introspective look on the nature of high school, and it all works.
This movie is definitely smarter than it needed to be (and maybe more than it's audience deserves?). For the masses, the gross-out humor will be worth the price of admission alone. I am not above gross-out humor myself, so chin-chin. But, for the high-brow among us, and you know who you are, the jokes making fun of the ludicrous nature of these films and Hollywood will definitely appeal to you too. It doesn't pull any punches and there are jokes that work on multiple levels. The car chase, about two-thirds through the movie, might be one of the best car chase scenes in Hollywood history, if only for it satirical nature.
Besides being comedic gold, there is a suitable story that unfolds during the film. Several themes play out during the film and it can be both touching and deftly played by the actors. There is also a few choice surprise moments that, if you go in a fan of the show it's based off of, will entertain you.
21 Jump Street works on so many levels that it can't help but being a crowd pleaser. The best comedy I have seen in a while and easily the smartest.