Van Wilder (Ryan Reynolds) is the man around campus but hasn't graduated after 7 years. His father is tired, and stops payment for his education. So he starts interesting money making schemes. Student reporter Gwen Pearson (Tara Reid) needs to do a story on him. Taj (Kal Penn) is a new student under the tutelage of Van Wilder.
This is Ryan Reynolds and only Ryan Reynolds. He is the only thing that keeps this movie afloat. He has the boyish charm that lets him get away with all kinds of hijinx. The movie gathers all the college silliness in a myriad of other movies, and shoves it into this one. And Ryan Reynolds delivers it all with joyful glee. He is the only driving force behind this movie.
National Lampoon's Van Wilder
2002
Action / Comedy / Romance
National Lampoon's Van Wilder
2002
Action / Comedy / Romance
Plot summary
In certain circles, Van Wilder is a living legend at Coolidge College, where he's been a student now for seven years, not yet having completed his degree requirements. Despite being bright, he never attends classes anymore, instead hosting parties, imparting his brand of wisdom to his adoring fans, hosting school organization fundraisers, and rallying the college spirit among the student body. Conversely, Van loves his Coolidge life. In his antics, he has a 2ic in Hutch, and always hires a personal assistant, this year's being a South Asian transfer student named Taj, who wants to learn from the best, namely Van. Van's college life is threatened when his wealthy neglectful father only now learns that Van is still in school, Wilder Sr. who has been paying his way all this time. As such, Wilder Sr. pulls the plug on that subsidy, meaning that Van has to figure out a way to pay for his Coolidge life. Because of his living legend status, Van becomes the subject of a series of articles by the college paper's star reporter, Gwen Pearson, an assignment she would rather not do, preferring harder hitting material. However, in Gwen needing to spend time with Van, Richard Bagg, Gwen's arrogant fraternity president pre-med boyfriend, tries to place Van in a bad light time and time again, believing that Gwen and Van are falling for each other. Also in spending time with Gwen, Van may come to a true understanding of why he has stayed at Coolidge for such a long time, and what he should be looking for in his future.
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Ryan Reynolds only reason to watch this
Likable, familiar college comedy gets an appealing performance from the lead actor.
Van Wilder (Ryan Reynolds) is one of the coolest, nicest, likable and most popular guy at the Coolidge College. He's also has an personal assistant (Kal Penn). Wilder is great at throwing parties and helping students with their courses at their most outrageous moments but since Wilder is at his seventh year as senior and he never takes his future seriously. Graduation for Wilder is the furthest thing is his mind. Things are about to change, when an young attractive reporter (Tara Reid) try to figure out Wilder's wild life. Wilder's father (Tim Matheson) threatens to stop paying his tuition for the seventh time. Wilder, His Personal Assistant and His Buddy (Teck Holmes) will try find ways to keep Wilder in college. But there's a slimly college student (Daniel Cosgrove),who is the boyfriend of the reporter. This jerk will do anything to get Wilder out of college.
Directed by Walt Becker (Buying the Cow, Wild Hogs) made an smoothly surprisingly well done outrageous comedy with a couple of very funny scenes (With also one hilarious gross-out scene is actually disgustingly memorable, if you like it or not). Reynolds' appealing performance makes this college comedy film fun to watch. It is also better than most of these silly college movies and this one offers something fresh. This film was an modest hit at the box office. It was also one of the top selling DVD's of 2002.
This unrated DVD has an clean anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1) transfer an good-Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD menus have an censored and uncensored options. The second disc is packed with extras, including:Deleted Scenes, Outtakes, Behind the Scenes featurettes and more. This film is a lot of fun, if you don't think about it too much. Written by the writers of "The Girl Next Door":Brent Goldberg and David T. Wagner. Deon Richmond, Erik Estrada and Chris Owen appears in cameos. Paul Gleason (From "The Breakfest Club" fame),Curtis Armstrong ("Bugger" from "Revenge of the Nerds" films) and Unbilled:Tom Everett Scott appears in small supporting roles. (*** ½/*****).
Party animal
Van Wilder (Ryan Reynolds) is the eternal student at Coolidge College where he has been studying for seven years but yet to graduate. The reason is because he enjoys the raucous party lifestyle where he is respected and held in esteem by other students.
Things take a turn when Wilder's dad stops his allowance and the student newspaper journalist wants to expose his party lifestyle. When some under-age kids are found by the police drinking in one of his parties Van Wilder's college days seem to be numbered and he decides he finally needs to grow up, realise his potential and graduate while taking revenge on the local college jock who got him into trouble.
The film is a cross between Animal House and American Pie. Tim Matheson who plays Van Wilder's father appeared in Animal House and Tara Reid who plays the student paper journalist appeared in American Pie.
There is also plenty of gross out humour such as éclairs filled with dog semen or a protein shake laced with laxatives.
There is the added sub-plot of Wilder's assistant, an Indian exchanges student, Taj Mahal wanting to have sex with an American girl and getting into all sorts of scrapes like setting himself on fire
Reynolds injects enough heart and decency in Van Wilder to actually make you root for him and it is amusing enough with bad taste pranks to make you laugh several times.