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 Orange County (2002)
Rated: PG-13 for drug content, language and sexuality.
Runtime: 87 mins.
Director: Jake Kasdan
Writer: Mark White
Tagline: It's not just a place. It's a state of mind.
Cast: Colin Hanks, Jack Black, Catherine O'Hara, John Lithgow....complete cast
Genre: Comedy
Most memorable quote: "Do you want me to get naked and start the revolution?"
Review by Frank Wilkins
There was a time when the words "teen movie" invoked images of poop jokes, fart humor and urine sight gags. Their humor was derived from cheap gimmicks and bodily functions. Then came Orange County that is a bit too sophisticated to resort to such cheap tactics. OK...so they did use the ole' "urine sample mistaken for a beverage" gag, but other than that, the humor is on a level a few notches above your typical teen fare. Credit this to writer Mike White's (Chuck & Buck, Freaks and Geeks) refined sense of wit and composition, and his refusal to stoop to the gutter for adult humor. Instead he chooses to lean on the Belushi-like antics and mannerisms of Jack Black (Shallow Hal); the ancestral starpower of Schuyler Fisk and Colin Hanks; and a gaggle of high profile cameos.
Orange County doubles as both the movie's title and the hometown of Shaun Brumder, (Colin Hanks, son of Tom Hanks) a local surfer dude who discovers his desires and talents to become a famous writer after he finds a novel, half-buried in the sand on his favorite surfing beach. Frustrated with his drunken Mom (Catherine O'Hara), and his workaholic millionaire father (John Lithgow), he decides that he must attend Stanford University to hone his writing skills and fulfill his dreams of departing the suburban triviality of Orange County, California.
He disses his surfin' buds and immerses himself in his schoolwork only to discover that a transcript submission error prevents him from acceptance into the University. His bleeding-heart girlfriend, Ashley (Schuyler Fisk, daughter of Sissy Spacek) and his druggie brother Lance (Jack Black) accompany him on a mission to the Stanford campus to clear up the error and set things straight. From this point on, the antics of Jack Black begin to take over, pouring on the laughs by the bucketful. He accidentally sets the admissions building on fire; administers ecstasy pills to the dean of admissions; and somehow manages to spend most of his screen time clad in only his underwear.
Orange County could easily collapse into a shallow, Porky's style teenage-bodily-humor-fest, but instead it displays a bit of class, sophistication and heartfelt craftiness not only by the screenplay but also by the brilliant acting of Fisk and Hanks as well as from the numerous minor roles and cameo appearances by the likes of Chevy Chase, Ben Stiller, Lily Tomlin, Harold Ramis, and Kevin Kline. If you are a fan of Jack Black, or even if you're not familiar with his body of work, Orange County is a must see. His presence meshes wonderfully with that of Fisk and Hanks and we are left with a genuinely creative and successful teen comedy that needs mention right alongside Risky Business, American Pie and Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
Not much of a Julia Roberts factor in this movie except maybe for the acting of Schuyler Fisk. The presence of Schuyler Fisk warrants giving it a significant macho factor. There's too much drug humor and language for the kiddos so beware. This movie will not stay with you very long after you leave the theater but it is definitely an entertaining watch that deserves your attention.
Frank Wilkins
Screen formats: Widescreen Anamorphic 1.85:1
Subtitles: English.
Sound: English: Dolby Digital 5.1, English: Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround, French 2.0 Surround.
Other Features: Color; interactive menus; scene access; Audio commentary by director Jake Kasdan and writer White, Mike; Deleted scenes; 15 interstitials.
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Complete Cast:
| Colin Hanks .... |
Shaun Brumder |
| Jack Black .... |
Lance Brumder |
| Catherine O'Hara .... |
Cindy Beugler |
| Schuyler Fisk .... |
Ashley |
| John Lithgow .... |
Bud Brumder |
| Harold Ramis .... |
Don Durkett |
| Garry Marshall |
Arthur Gantner |
| Dana Ivey .... |
Vera Gantner |
| Jane Adams .... |
Mona |
| Chevy Chase .... |
Principal Harbert |
| Lily Tomlin .... |
Charlotte Cobb |
| Kyle Howard .... |
Arlo |
| R.J. Knoll .... |
Chad |
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