Given its outlandish plot and lack of hype, it's somewhat surprising that Owen Wilson's new film, Drillbit Taylor, comes from some of comedy's current juggernauts: Seth Rogen worked on the screenplay, and Judd Apatow is a producer.
For all their vulgarity and strange plot twists, both Superbad and Knocked Up were pretty grounded in reality, with basic plots about getting to a big party or dealing with an unexpected pregnancy. Compared to that, the idea of "budget bodyguard" Drillbit Taylor protecting teenagers from the high school bully for leftover bar mitzvah money is relatively far out.
It doesn't help that, although none of Apatow's regular acting crew is present, Drillbit still plays like a retread.
The three kids that hire Drillbit come across like the cast of Superbad-lite: There's the gangly nerd, Wade (Nate Hartley); the crass, chubby kid, Ryan (Troy Gentile); and the clueless spaz, Emmit (David Dorfman).
And yet the film works in a lot of ways. That same realistic charm that has been at the heart of previous Apatow comedies is present, like when Wade's best strategy for getting close to his crush is signing up for all the clubs she's in -- including, inappropriately, the Asian Heritage Club.
The bodyguard plot is only an aspect of Wade and Ryan's desire to get off on the right foot in high school and become popular. And this is, in fact, their story, despite the focus on Wilson in the film's pre-release advertising. The movie's main problem is that it seems like there are two plots mish-mashed together.
As for Wilson's story arc, Taylor, a homeless Army deserter, is not very funny in scenes in which he talks to his bum friends about scamming the boys and robbing their houses.
But when Taylor impersonates a substitute teacher to infiltrate the school, the movie takes off. He's lovably inept: When another teacher asks his name, he covers up the implausible "Drillbit" with the even more preposterous "Dr. Illbit."
Drillbit seems uncertain of how seriously it wants to take itself. Wade and Ryan talk and think like real kids, but the bullies routinely assault them in crowded hallways with hundreds of witnesses and then talk their way out of it with nothing more than a cheesy smile in the principal's office.
Again, different aspects of the films are at odds. It's a bit too silly to get into, but the writing team, even phoning it in, provides enough laughs to keep it entertaining. And Wilson's weathered face -- combined with his well-publicized personal problems -- make him oddly believable as the down-and-out title character.
It feels odd to praise a film merely for exceeding low expectations, but "surprisingly enjoyable" is just the right amount of enthusiasm for Drillbit Taylor.
Grade: C+
