ACCEPTED

Starring:
Justin Long, Jonah Hill, Adam Herschman, Blake Lively, Columbus Short, Maria Thayer and Lewis Black

Director:
Steve Pink

Running Time:
90 mins

Out to buy on DVD 14/11/06 (Region 1) & 12/02/07 (Region 2)

"WET T-SHIRT PARTY!!!"

After having all this college applications rejected, Bartleby Gaines (Long) doesn't know what he is going to do with his life after high school. Not wanting to disappoint his parents who have dreamed of sending their son into higher education, Bartleby fakes his acceptance to a fictional college called 'South Harmon Institute of Technology'. When his parents want find out more about the college and visit the campus, Bartleby and his friends Sherman (Hill), Glen (Herschman), Hands (Short) and Rory (Thayer) have to actually make South Harmon real but they go a little bit too far and prospective students show up for orientation.

Setting a movie inside a college environment will always be compared to the bastion of all college movies, 'Animal House' but can 'Accepted' create a new party?

The college or university experience is one of the most influential and important moments in a young persons life. Here they will start their adult lives, make life long friends and hopefully get a degree that will lead to a better job. It is also a time of access when you discover what it is like to have to stand on your own two feet for the first time and of course the parties, drinking and everything else that goes with it. Of course this is a hotbed of ideas for movies.

With films like 'Road Trip', 'Old School' and many more, the college movie is always provides quality laughs and high jinx. Setting the standard for the genre was 'Animal House' with its phrat house, toga parties and classic characters that broke the mould when it came to defining the comedy genre. 'Accepted' tries to compete with this heady bunch but even though the idea shows potential it fails to make the grade.

The idea of creating your own college after every other institute of higher learning turns you down so your parents don't find out is a plot that has real comedic potential. The possibilities for a new 'Animal House' for the new millennium were endless but 'Accepted' doesn't push for the higher grades, it just stubbles along at pass level.

The cast had the potential to become the new Otter, Boon, Flounder, D-Day or Bluto but instead we have a very minor attempt to try and recreate greatness. Even though he is nearly thirty, Justin Long continues to play the teenager. As Bartleby Gaines, the man who creates South Harmon Institute of Technology or 'S.H.I.T.', the continuing joke throughout the movie, he is your usual confident protagonist, who goes against the College hierarchy to teach what students actually want to learn. Jonah Hill is the unconventional friend of the popular guy. Adam Herschman is the way out guy who experiments with herbs. Columbus Short and Maria Thayer are fine as the other friends and Blake Lively is suitably gorgeous as the object of Bartleby's affects. None of these characters really make any kind of impact however.

'Accepted' had some much potential but misses the pass mark completely. The humour only manages to ever raise a smile and misses the chance to push the envelope like 'Animal House' did back in 1978. With stereotypical characters and a plot that doesn't push itself all the way to graduation.

PICTURE & SOUND

Presented in Widescreen 2.35:1 Anamorphic with a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, the transfer is good.

BONUS FEATURES (Region 2 - UK/Europe)

None

OVERALL

A complete lack of extras is a crime, especially when you look at the amount included in the Region 1 (North America) release (reviewed below). Region 2 fans of the film will feel like they have been ripped off.

BONUS FEATURES (Region 1 - North America)

Adam's Accepted Chronicles (11.02 mins)
Director Steve Pink, writers Adam Cooper and Bill Collage and stars Justin Long, Jonah Hill, Maria Thayer, Mark Derwin, Ann Cusack, Diora Baird and Lewis Black join Adam Herschman to talk about his contribution to 'Accepted' and how he can make Glen an even bigger character.

Reject Rejection: The making of Accepted (10.10 mins)
Director Steve Pink, producers Tom Shadyac and Michael Bostick, writers Adam Cooper and Bill Collage and stars Justin Long, Jonah Hill, Adam Herschman, Maria Thayer, Mark Derwin, Ann Cusack, Diora Baird and Lewis Black take you behind the scenes of South Harmon Institute of Technology. Here we discover more about the script, the director, the producer, the cast and the high jinx that happened on set.

Self-guided Campus Tour
Watch mini-featurettes about 'The Half Pipe', 'Pool', 'BKE Fraternity', 'Party Hall' and 'Common Room'

'Hang on the half pipe' - music video (3.12 mins)
Behind the scenes of the skateboarding sequences of 'Accepted', set to music

'Keeping your head up' - The Ringers music video (3.12 mins)
Watch the full version of Joe Hursley's band perform at South Harmon Institute of Technology

Deleted Scenes (12.58 mins)
Watch thirteen deleted scenes that show you a fashion show, more Glen, more of Monica and Bartleby and more of Sherman trying to get into BKE.

Gag Reel presented by Volkswagen (8.10)
Watch the cast make a hash of their lines and have fun on set

Get Accepted with Movie Music MP3s
Place the DVD in your PC and download 'B goes to BKE', 'Uncle Ben's Theme', 'B and Hoyt showdown', 'Party at BKE', 'Monica goes to South Harmon Institute of Technology' and 'B kisses Monica'

Feature Commentary with director Steve Pink, Justin Long, Lewis Black, Jonah Hill and Adam Herschman
The director is joined by the main members of his cast for a fun commentary track. They talk about the story of the film's production, their roles and how they got their parts and the behind the scenes banter and made them all firm friends. This is a good ensemble commentary and one that shows that the group had fun on set.

Trailers
Previews of American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile, Balls of Fury, Hot Fuzz and You, Me and Dupree

OVERALL

For a single DVD presentation 'Accepted' has enough bonus features to keep fans of the film very happy. The commentary track is very good and the extra features are fun, if not very substantial, making this a decent package.

DVD

Animal House

Old School

Road Trip


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2006