Accepted -- 2006 -- PG-13

Okay, I haven't been delving 100% into the older films. Here's something from last year. I admit I did not have high hopes for this one since the trailers for it consistently were shown with American Pie franchise films, and it was actual touted as being in that same vein. This is far superior to the American Pie schlock.

The plot is very simple. A guy applies to eight different colleges and is rejected from every single one. In an effort to not disappoint his parents, he creates an acceptance letter for a fictional South Harmon Institute of Technology (yes, the school's acronym name is a deliberate joke). His father would want info, so he has his friend create a fully functional web site for his dad to view. When the parents want to drop him off, he has to find a facility to make a fake school. When he learns the web site's functionality extends to printing acceptance letters to anyone who clicks, he tries to make the school a fully functional one as well.

The message behind this film is very clear: don't get yourself stuck in the rut of what society wants you to be; branch out and be what you really want to be. It is the basic philosophy of the fake school as well as the backbone of the speech given at the climax. Everything in the second act where the school is happening centers around this idea, and every character exemplifies it very well.

As for the characters, they're remarkably well drawn. Each of our main characters has a personality and characteristics that make them either endearing or despicable. Even some of the outward supporting characters and South Harmon students exhibit uniqueness in who they are despite the fact that most of them have very limited screen time. It was also significant that every single student was not accepted at any other college they applied to. It really helped to create that sense of hoping they pull this whole thing off.

The film was also a lot funnier than I had anticipated. It's not all sex and toilet humor; they have some actual real jokes in here along with situational humor, sight gags, and cynicism. I laughed quite a bit as this played out.

Granted, the ending was a bit predictable. This was intended to be a feel good movie like the characters actually accomplished something special in their lives. It did create that wonderful irony that although they were college rejects, they were able to successfully make a college without any college education at all.

One of the only things that bugged me was when our hero was having to make his case for the college and its existence. The villain of the tale said that the South Harmon school took away from legitimate education. Big problem with that comment and something no one touched on is the fact that every student there was rejected by all the other institutions, so they couldn't really be cutting into anything, since no one wanted everyone there. this was not brought up and the crisis point of the film, nor was it brought up at the climax. I kept hoping, but it was like it was deliberately overlooked, so they didn't have to go there.

So this was actually a pretty good movie. It's an easy watch with no heavy handed plot devices or deep thoughts or metaphorical images. It's got some good humor, a good message and some decent characters, so if you need something that's easy on the brain to unwind, this just might do it.