Old School

So many of Will Ferrell's films are so good. Mostly because of his presence, he can elevate a film's quality with lines that would have fallen flat in the hands of another actor. Here, in OLD SCHOOL, Ferrell's occasionally very funny scenes strangely only serve to contrast how good those portions are compared to the languorous schlocky rest of the film. Beginning with a wedding that only serves to further the plot, an annoying Vince Vaughn whispers to Ferrell at his wedding that he can still get out of it even as the bride walks down the aisle. Ferrell is a doofus here, and why / how he is getting married is not so much a mystery, but an obnoxious contrivance. After Vaughn's offensive (but mostly unbelievable) remarks, a confusing scene change occurs, leading us to the party after the wedding where a mopey Luke Wilson sees an old flame and talks to Vaughn about missing childhood. Wilson is sent to a campus-side house by his two buddies in an attempt to rebound him after a disastrous relationship. Although the childish Vaughn and Ferrell only party, Wilson uses his house as a sleazy reputation-enhancer so that he'll have a chance with the girl from the wedding.
This is an extremely boring set-up, but what comes afterward is more what you could expect from Ferrell's comedic sensibilities. For, it turns out that the dean of the neighboring college has it out for Ferrell and friends. He's an old, essential-punching-pag of the trio, and takes his revenge by using some friends in high places to evict Wilson from the party-house. Vaughn, however, finds a loophole where if the house does some service for the school, Wilson can't be evicted, and thus the trio turns the house into a fraternity.
This storyline is used thinly, almost as if it were an afterthought in order for the flat jokes to exist sensibly. A few parts work: Ferrell's scenes mostly, and an 89 year old frat boy named Blue. Otherwise, the film is too pedestrian, and overly stupid, unbelievable, and, worst of all, continues to call attention to how funny other scenes were: reminding us that the scene we're watching now sucks.
Old School: ★1/2