School and the Backyard Gang (2001)

***School and the Backyard Gang*** is a 2001 American musical road comedy film directed by David Gumpel, produced by Paramount Pictures, and based on the kids show of the same name. The film stars David Edwards, Sarah Rose, Aspen Clark, Leon Frierson, Frankie Murz, William Martin Brennan, Lacey Hatch, Jasmine Woods, Kortney Vanderpuye, and Paul Rudd.

Its world premiere was on June 16, 2001, at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood, California. After that, it was released to theaters nationwide on July 14th, 2001, and was a critical and commercial flop, grossing $18 million of its $35 million budget.

## Plot

*School and the Backyard Gang* is a popular show that has ended years ago, and School and the Backyard Gang Zone in Denver, Colorado is only open for tours. David Edwards picks up VHS tapes of both *School and the Backyard Gang* and its 60s predecessor at the store, watches them, and slowly becomes obsessed with the show. He acquires *BYG* memorabilia, gets a map of School and the Backyard Gang Zone and a sippy cup for his birthday, and dresses up as Sarah Rose for Halloween. When all the kids tease him for his costume, David goes home, puts on his pajamas, and pops on a *School and the Backyard Gang* video, eventually falling asleep and launching into a dream. The Backyard Gang is on TV, asking David to join them. Once he runs to the television, the screen breaks.

When David wakes up, his parents Mark and Nina tell him they're going to see Uncle Tommy in Denver for two weeks, missing school. David agrees to go, remembering School and the Backyard Gang Zone is there.

Once the family gets there, they find all the attractions closed, and learn Studio C is in danger of being destroyed by evil oil tycoon Bill Berger. David runs to Uncle Tommy's screaming, and then suggests they get the Backyard Gang back together, as that's the only way to save Studio C.

First they approach Sarah, who lives in an apartment in Manhattan. Once David tells her they're getting the Backyard Gang back together, Sarah gets nervous, breaking into song as portraits of the gang come to life and join her. David cheers her up by asking her what the world's three greatest gifts are - children, ice cream, and laughter. Sarah then invites her British butler Kortney Vanderpuye along for the ride.

They then approach Aspen Clark, who's singing George Michael's "Careless Whisper" with a tribute band known as School and the Boockyard Goong in Los Angeles. Aspen wants to rejoin, but the Boockyard Goong has to find a replacement in existing member Aspoon.

After eating a McDonald's drive-thru, they approach Leon Frierson, who runs a plumbing business. Leon refuses to rejoin, but makes up his mind when David tells him they need them, and he blows up his plumbing business.

They then come across Frankie Murz, who's in an Anger Management class in Santa Barbara. An angel and a devil tell Frankie he has two choices - rejoin the Backyard Gang or stay in the anger management class. Frankie chooses the former, and rejoins the gang. Once they feel their car is too crowded, the gang gets a bigger car at Rotten Ronald's and Son.

Next, they approach William Martin Brennan, who has spent all of his years drinking at the Bar restaurant and owes $500.00 to the owner. William wants to return, but cannot do so without paying his debt to the restaurant. David places a bet to let William off the hook by beating the house band in a playoff. William starts his performance off by sounding rusty, but warms up and eventually wins.

Next, they head out to find Lacey Hatch, who lives a quiet life in her home. Sarah and David find Lacey sleeping in a hammock and drinking chocolate milk. She agrees to rejoin.

When Sarah thinks they've got everyone, the Edwards remind her about Jasmine Woods, who now lives in Paris, France. Mrs. Edwards thinks it will be a long drive, but Kortney decides to travel through two oceans to get to Paris. Once Bill Berger tells his bodyguards that the Backyard Gang has gotten back together again, they enter Berger Oil instead of Paris, and he sings about how much he hates the Backyard Gang - they ruined his tenth birthday party.

Once they finally get to Paris, the gang learns Jasmine is currently a fashion editor for Vogue Magazine. Jasmine refuses to rejoin, and throws a fit. Aspen forcefully drags her School and the Boockyard Goong doppelgänger Jasmoone to be a temporary replacement for Jasmine. ABC, CBS, NBC, and Telemundo all say no to the telethon. Once they enter CBA, network executive Doug tells the Backyard Gang that they're no longer famous, and reminds them of today's children's shows, such as *The Happy Happy Fun Fun Super Show*. An executive tells Doug that *The Happy Happy Fun Fun Super Show* has been cancelled due to teacher complaints. Doug then tells the gang that they need a celebrity host, or else he'll have to rerun two episodes of *Teletubbies*.

Once they arrive at Studio C, Sarah gets the idea to hold a telethon for a million dollars by 9PM tomorrow night. She is a bit reluctant about entering Studio C, but decides to do so anyways. Once the stunned gang enters Studio C, Sarah relives her memories of the place. After discovering how torn apart Studio C is, Sarah decides to clean the place up, and the Backyard Gang does so in a montage to Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot." David's mom now has to go to Uncle Tommy's, while his dad intends to remain alongside him and the Backyard Gang in Studio C, where Aspen tells him a Mozart and Bach chicken joke. Sarah tells everyone, including David, to find a place to sleep tonight. Later that night, Frankie sleeps on the rafters with Rebecca and the rest of the rabbits, while everyone else sleeps in hammocks directly above the stage. Sarah and Aspen are the only ones awake, looking at the stars through a hole in the ceiling and hoping it doesn't rain, before falling asleep themselves.

The next morning, Sarah wakes everyone up and reminds them of the telethon. Jasmine arrives, and Sarah tells her that they cleaned up Studio C. She picks up a fight with Jasmoone, who leaves.

The Backyard Gang kidnaps Robert De Niro as their telethon celebrity host.

Once they enter Studio C, Sarah introduces everyone to the celebrity telephone operators. During the telethon, Rebecca and the rabbits sing Wham!'s "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go," David whistles, Jasmine and William eat a jelly donut with ketchup and a mayonnaise shake, Leon, William, Lacey, and Kortney dress as a barbershop quartet and sing UB40's "Red Red Wine," and Sarah and Jasmine sing “(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" as a duet.

The buzzer goes off, and the gang learns their telethon is off by a penny. The gang mopes about being a penny short, when Sarah gives a speech about trying, failing, and teamwork. Bill Berger then kicks everyone out, and they watch the destruction of Studio C. Bill Berger stops the destruction, and tells the Backyard Gang that he's letting them keep Studio C and its name for five more years. The gang celebrates by having dinner at a restaurant.

After dinner, Frankie notes that all of *School and the Backyard Gang*'s fans are back, only for a tumbleweed to roll. Bill Berger tells everyone he discovered oil beneath a Boston bar that used to be on a popular TV show, but is thrown out by a crowd of fans. The Backyard Gang celebrates their success and return by singing "Life is Fantastic" with their fans. *Cheers*' biggest fan stops them, telling them that Bill Berger has discovered oil beneath the *Cheers* bar, and now they must get the cast of *Cheers* back together. Once Sarah declares David an official member of the Backyard Gang, he gets so excited he whistles.

## Songs

1. "Jack and Diane"
2. "Life is Fantastic"
3. "I Never Forgot You"
4. "It's All About Me"
5. "Careless Whisper"
6. "Hit Me With Your Best Shot"
7. "Dancing By Myself"
8. "Red Red Wine"
9. "Right Where I Belong"
10. "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go"
11. "(I've Had) the Time of My Life"
12. "Always Something There to Remind Me"
13. "Life is Fantastic" finale

## Edits

* The movie made its network television debut on ABC Family, where it edited several scenes, including:
	+ David's prolonged scream after overhearing Berger's plan
	+ David's "great idea"
	+ Lacey complaining about her missing montage scene
	+ Jasmine's secretary telling her about her incoming appointment
	+ The Backyard Gang pitching the telethon to NBC, FOX and Univision
	+ A portion of the "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" sequence
	+ The Backyard Gang sleeping in the hammocks.
	+ "It's All About Me"
	+ The first half of the scene with the Backyard Gang outside Berger's office.
	+ "Red Red Wine"
	+ The celebrities arriving at Sarah's desk
	+ Sarah and Aspen's conversation when the entire screen is blacked out.
	+ Mark Edwards searching for David before Sarah asks the Backyard Gang for the final act.
	+ James Marsden's cameo.
* When the film aired on Disney Channel, the following edits were made:
	+ Shots were edited out during Sarah and Aspen's conversation in the alley of the Nokia Theater.
* When the film aired on Nickelodeon, the following edits were made:
	+ Leon blowing up his plumbing business.
	+ The flashback to how the Backyard Gang got Lacey to re-join them.
	+ The "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" montage is shortened.
	+ "Red Red Wine".
	+ Sarah and Aspen's conversation when the whole screen is blacked out.

## Cast

* Mark, Nina, and David Edwards
* Sarah Rose
* Aspen Clark
* Jasmine Woods
* Leon Frierson
* William Martin Brennan
* Frankie Murz
* Lacey Hatch
* Kortney Vanderpuye
* Paul Rudd as Bill Berger
* Rachael Leigh Cook as CBA executive
* Jennifer Aniston
* Jake Gyllenhaal
* Bob Fretz as tour guide
* James Van Der Beek as Willioom
* Geri Haliwell as anger management teacher
* Robert De Niro
* Keri Russell
* Ryan Gosling as "Happy Happy Fun Fun Super Show" host
* William Daniels as Network executive
* Cindy Crawford as Diner lady
* Joseph Gordon-Levitt
* Britney Spears
* Justin Timberlake
* Courteney Cox
* James Marsden
* Adam Sandler
* Sofia Vegara
* Keanu Reeves
* Shing-Ying Yao as telethon announcer
* Freddie Prinze Jr. as Adult David