In the late 80s, it was equally loved and hated by fans and media. One of its stars, up-and-coming actor Johnny Depp, even openly mocked the show and had bitter public battles with its producers in an effort to get out of his contract and leave the show to pursue his film career. I am, of course, talking about the one and only ’21 Jump Street’. Fans take note - there is no resemblance to your much-loved TV show, nor is this a cure for your nostalgic desires (okay, maybe just a little). While the title and (loosely) the premise remain the same, this ’21 Jump Street’ is a whole new ball game. In other words - take what you thought you knew and forget it.
For starters... it’s awesome. The story was designed by star Jonah Hill himself - who also produced the feature - and with his track record, it’s no wonder he turned this 21st century version into a comedy. Surprisingly, Hill’s humour is not the drawcard here - rather, it's his co-star (and co-producer) Channing Tatum’s comedy chops. Previously known as a romantic lead is ‘Dear John’ and ‘The Vow’, and with a body built for action like his turns in ‘Fighting’ and ‘G.I. Joe’, audiences will find themselves stunned and pleasantly surprised to find that Tatum has some seriously mad skills when it comes to tickling a funny bone or two.
21 JUMP STREET - TRAILER
Hill and Tatum play Schmidt and Jenko, once high school opposites (Nerd vs Cool jock) who now find themselves adult besties after landing in Police Cadet school together. Fresh on the job, green and busting for some action, the two underachievers land a gig at a revived 80’s police program (get it?) down on Jump Street. Due to their (questionable) youthful looks, the boys are given an undercover assignment to go back to high school in order to infiltrate the dealers and find the suppliers of a new synthetic drug making the rounds that's already claimed one victim. Though Jenko was once a boy who ruled the school while Schmidt just wanted to escape it, they find that their roles have reversed in the seven years since their last high school experience, with hilarious results.
Surprisingly, Jonah Hill’s humour is not the drawcard here - rather, it's his co-star Channing Tatum’s comedy chops.
The undeniable chemistry between Hill and Tatum, combined with their irreverent taste in comedy, makes this a pairing that just shouldn’t work, but it does, oh so well.
Beautifully straddling the line between the ridiculous and smart humour that is, at times, even sweet and thoughtful, this sure-fire hit and soon to be classic is a winner.
The laughs comes hard and fast, as does the action and shenanigans. Clichés and self-referential jokes are ripe and spot on, only contributing to this fun and wild ride. Full of surprises at every turn - come ready, come willing and enjoy the show. This movie is for everyone and anyone who loves a good laugh - this includes you!