HBO Broadcast, Seattle, WA

*** / ****

By Scott Muoio

Cinematic comedies often start off slow, clumsily introducing clichéd characters tied to plots we’ve seen a million times. Role Models, a recent comedy that takes the community service child minders plot and shakes it around with a heavy does of foul-mouthed silliness is yet another culprit. Quickly establishing what ought to be a run-of-the-mill groan-fest that tries too hard for laughs yet never achieves any, the film’s first twenty minutes will have you convinced Role Models is a waste of time. However, surprise, surprise, as the film picks up steam what emerges is a riotous romp through live action role-playing renaissance faire silliness that is not only bearably entertaining but laugh out loud amusing.

Between the great Seann William Scott, a pair of excellent child actors, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Bobb’e J., and the aforementioned Dungeons and Dragons come to life absurdity Role Models succeeds because it has genuine affection for its characters and never strays too far down the road of obnoxiousness. Scott in particular is brilliant as a motivational speaker who dresses in a minotaur costume, slings the raunch, and yet somehow manages the perfect role model repoire with his diminutive charge. Paul Rudd, as his depressed co-worker, is as bland as ever. However, somehow, some way his everyman blandness is the perfect complement to his dorky yet well-meaning mentee. Throw in the requisite absurdity from a hard talking community service parole officer (Jane Lynch), a bizarre Kiss rock band obsession tangent and the chick-flick relationship angle with Elizabeth Banks and Role Models emerges as a perfect little comedy.

Where the recent onslaught of overblown vulgarity currently passing for comedy (think Knocked Up and it’s like) merely window dresses a screen writer’s dirty dreams Role Models first tells its story and second goes for the raunchy one liners. It succeeds because it is not nearly as crass, hip, or obnoxious as it would like to be, precisely why it failed to find an audience during its theatrical run and exactly why it is better and funnier than you might expect. Give it a shot: you just might find yourself laughing, too.

Director: David Wain

Producer: Luke Greenfield, Mary Parent, Scott Stuber

Writer: David Wain, Timothy Dowling, Paul Rudd, Ken Marino

Starring: Seann William Scott, Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bobb’e J. Thompson, Jane Lynch

Original Music: Craig Wedren

Cinematographer: Russ. T. Alsobrook

Editor: Eric Kissack