Don’t let the fact that it’s based on an ’80s TV series you’ve probably never seen turn you away; “21 Jump Street” is, rather inexplicably, the funniest movie to hit theaters in a good long while.
Jonah Hill, who failed to launch his sense of humor into a TV series with last fall’s animated “Allen Gregory,” and Channing Tatum, known as the go-to hunk for rom-coms aimed at undiscerning women, are pure magic when teamed as buddy cops who go undercover to bust a high school drug ring. These real-world friends’ senses of humor mesh perfectly, and I imagine Hill wrote the script with that in mind.
Making a comedy with your friends doesn’t guarantee success: 2010’s “Grown Ups,” featuring Adam Sandler and all his best buddies, was horrible, maybe because the gang assumed if they all got together a funny movie would automatically result. I can only theorize that Hill’s and Tatum’s sense of fun isn’t as selfish as the Sandler gang’s; they enjoy letting the audience in on the joke.
Indeed, Hill and co-writer Michael Bacall, who also penned the bland cult favorite “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” (2010), actively work to overcome the “unnecessary, unwanted remake” stereotype, like when the police chief (Nick Offerman from “Parks and Recreation”) tells the duo to report for their undercover assignment at “37 Jump Street … wait, that doesn’t sound right …”
Every stereotype and cliché in this movie is openly acknowledged, from the main characters — Schmidt/”Doug” (Hill) is the uncool nerd, and Jenko/”Brad” is the dumb jock — to Captain Dickson (Ice Cube) as the angry black cop. “21 Jump Street” also subverts the cliché of trucks blowing up during chase scenes.
But this isn’t a case of a dumb movie acknowledging it’s dumb. The observation of how high school has changed in a short period of time feels spot-on, starting with a scene where Jenko punches the first student who challenges him, thinking that’s how he’ll assert his authority. But because the student is black and gay, Jenko is immediately ostracized. 2012, the movie argues, features a more humane, worldly batch of high schoolers than just a few years ago. “F— you, ‘Glee!’ ” Jenko laments, but Schmidt is somberly observant of the youth culture shift: “If I had only gone to high school 10 years later, I would’ve been cool.”
The film is packed with great little premises that allow the humor to flow easily: Picture the bickering Hill and Tatum side by side in a driver’s ed car, where each of them can control the vehicle.
And “21 Jump Street” is loaded with familiar actors who will put a smile on your face. Ellie Kemper from “The Office” is great as the teacher obsessed (but trying not to be) with her hot new student (Funny side note: Tatum is actually older than Kemper). Dave Franco (yes, he’s James’ kid brother) tweaks his nerdy character from “Privileged” to play this new breed of smart-yet-popular student. And Brie Larson, from “The United States of Tara,” is really cute as the second-chance love interest of Schmidt, who was emotionally destroyed by attractive girls in his first prep go-around.
One small complaint: “21 Jump Street” is slightly front-loaded with laughs; the humor tails off a bit in the final act, giving way to action and plot resolutions. Still, if Jenko and Schmidt are assigned to a college sting operation in the sequel, I’ll be there.