This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. "They hate me." In the director's cut of Almost Famous, we find out how much. On a high school marquee, in black caps, the message of the day reads: "William Miller is too young to drive or f***." The other students are pitiless toward the victim of this practical joke, but William manages a brief smile as he traverses the parking lot, alone, armed with a copy of Creem. Music makes him strong. During class, we see the boy's shrine, a blue portfolio covered with the names of his heroes in a graffiti-esque collage created with Bic ink. It's a work in progress, as we glimpse the starry-eyed child putting the final touches on the "n". William may love Led Zeppelin, but he's smart enough not to emulate Robert Plant. His hair is decidedly un-golden god-like. Over the hills and far away, in another high school, another generation, Schmidt, with his close-cropped bleached do, and bling, cultivates, none too successfully, the Eminem look. By embodying the machismo of the rapper, Schmidt works up the courage to approach a girl about the upcoming prom. Before the official invite is issued, though, the hottie stops him. That's because Schmidt is not Slim Shady; he's a nerd, and not even slim. Five years later, when the rookie cop and his buff partner go undercover as students, Schmidt's eventual transformation into a popular kid, retroactively, casts Fast Times at Ridgemont High as a sort of sequel to Almost Famous, because when Cameron Crowe returned to school as an investigative journalist, he was fully-formed, no longer the naive hero, the alter-ego of his bildungsroman, but actually somebody who was cool enough to infiltrate the cliques that mattered, after years of covering bands that mattered. In the Amy Heckerling film, Crowe doesn't have a stand-in; he's the omniscient student who knows Linda, the queen bee, well enough, apparently, to learn about her best friend Stacy, who ends up at an abortion clinic after a series of flings. Crowe's fictional self, while no longer a stranger to sex, due to the adult education he receives from the "Band-Aids" during a stopover in Greenville as a RS correspondent covering Stillwater, the then-screenwriter, despite being privy to an up close and personal look at the debauched lives of the rich and famous, nevertheless, still must have flinched like the rest of us, as Linda and Stacey talked graphically about sex in the cafeteria. Being 23, the scribe could only fantasize about Linda(like Brad), who in the film, emerges from the pool in a red bikini. Whose dream was that really? Because Crowe is unseen, the ethos of the film never gets addressed, like it does in 21 Jump Street, when Sgt. Dickson warns the cops about being chaste while on assignment, faintly echoing the advice given by Lester Bangs to his protege. When bridging the two films together(Almost Famous & Fast Times...), it's easy to imagine Crowe refashioning his mentor's words into something along the lines of "don't make friends with the high school girls." "Doug", the track star and theater brat, keeps a professional distance, but barely, when he comes perilously close to kissing Molly, at the moment that their prom plans get verified. She is Wendy to his Peter Pan, akin to Crowe and Ann Wilson(of Heart). As a point of reference, Schmidt fulfills his Eminem dreams of yesteryear by singing "I've Gotta CROW", rhyming like Mary Martin circa 1955. The "real Slim Shady" stands up. He's a romantic. The film's greatest irony is that Doug becomes popular by being himself, not a gangsta, even though 21 Jump Street pays homage to Donnie Brasco, none more cleverly than when the cop calls Molly on the phone, and nearly blows his cover. Whereas Joe Pistone learns that a wise guy never carries a wallet, Doug, in so many words, is told to text-message like any savvy teenager living in the digital age. Lefty Ruggiero represents the FBI agent, giving "Donnie" the credibility he needs to pervade the inner sanctum of a mafia crew. To his chagrin, Joe becomes Sonny Black's right-hand man. Similarly, Eric, a drug dealer, takes a shine to Doug(angering "Brad"), and introduces him to his supplier. Both men, in the process, lose themselves in the subculture, crossing the line from observer to participant, in which they find their humanity and attudinization melding into one. For the cop, this embarkation begins at a house party, where he gets stabbed during a melee between rival high school drug factions. The experience imprints him. In that instant, he becomes a stud. Likewise, Joe's metamorphosis into Donnie is inaugurated at a Japanese restaurant, where a waiter nearly gets pummeled to death in the bathroom, after the niceties of culture nearly blows his cover. Later, a lesson in mass vivisection pushes Joe to the brink. In Schmidt's case, it's a college application he plans on filling out. For Crowe, it could have been the moment that Linda sticks the carrot in her mouth.… Expand

Loved it too as I laughed out loud. If you are looking for a fun popcorn movie this is it. Everyone did an outstanding job. Just don't take it too seriously and you will have lots of fun.

Walking out on a movie is a rarity for me, but I left within about 30 minutes of the start of this one. I thought it was both abysmal and juvenile, though I admit that my age (72) probably made the latter reaction inevitable. I found the relentless shower of gratuitous obscenities both grating and wearisome, and lest someone cite my age as a reason, I was in the Navy for 20 years and am intimately familiar with every obscene word ever coined. But here the effect is just plain boring. It's as if the writers were trying to meet a quota for Carlinesque words. Finally, I am baffled by the number of sterling reviews of this dog, but I guess I must finally be outside what passes for humor in mainstream comedic cinema.… Expand

I just wish they had tone down the profanity a tad bit, sometimes it kills the flow of the movie, simply because it gets overwhelmingly vulgar, this film was obviously catered to teen high-schoolers

Awful. We walked out after 45 minutes - That's how long we gave it the benefit of the doubt. What a waste of time and money. Jonah Hill is funnier than that (not to call 21 Jump Street funny at all), and Channing Tatum is....I dunno, a beefcake or whatever. What the **** is with all the green (critic AND user)? Don't tell me this passes for funny. For me it passed for Are We There Yet? It even had Ice Cube! Ice Cube is a thespian of the highest caliber and should be showered with statues. There, I said it.… Expand

I haven't laughed this hard at a movie in a long time. A very funny, and very entertaining movie. Sort of turned into an action movie at the end, but was still funny as it went along. See it in theatres if possible

The TV hit goes for laughs with Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill as two hapless cops who go undercover to bust a high school drug ring. Although there sly one-liners and a bouncy comic energy, the overall effect is more upbeat than hilarious. Tatum has been funnier and Hill does his usual shtick. The supporting cast could have been populated with zany types, but most of them add little to the comic development (except for 2 fun cameos). This is an example of how average writing translates into an average comedy.… Expand

This movie was an all out romp! The best movie Jonah has done since Superbad, and it was surprising to say that after this movie, Channing is on my comedy movie radar! The movie is **** hilarious and takes a surprisingly violent twist at the end! Amazing!

Not a complete waste of downtime, but you don't have to look hard to find funnier stuff on television. I think they said it all early in the film when Captain Ice Cube tells everybody to "Embrace their stereotypes". Once you accept that as the measure of the film's wisdom then you can pretty much coast through the rest of it with the appropriate level of expectation. If you're bored and don't feel like focusing too hard, you can watch this while surfing the web and not miss a single plot point or laugh.… Expand

Yow! What a piece of junk! Why on earth was this movie made? 21 Jump Street wallows in so many movie cliches that I had to look at the walls of the movie theater to keep from being embarrassed at times. Absolutely nothing new or clever about it. One of those flicks that you know the endings of each scenario during the first line of their development. Like a bad teen film. Gave it a one for a chuckle or two. I really just want to slap whoever greenlit this stinkbomb.… Expand

Perhaps too sketchy, and even more satirical, "21 Jump Street" is a bro-comedy that, despite its leads' efforts, loiters in its own mocking pool; it soaks up some pop-culture residual, expells it with self-mimickry, and simpers back at the audience for having taken a swim in it. Though Hill and Tatum offer moments of begetting 80's nostalgia, as well as a vaguely remembered muck of a TV-show--laden with car chases, well-worn high school scenarios (awkward proms, dopey faculty and staff, etc.) and predictable, slipshod dialogue and one-liners--the film resorts to much of the same, though out of parody, and its blatant, self-fulfilling, mocking cynicism becomes increasingly intolerant as it progresses. Moreover, the subject inevitably ends with recycled debris left over from, where else, the the "80's." Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller (the animated "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs"), "21 Jump Street," is not all foolheaded bufoonery. A slimmer Hill (playing Schmidt) is funny as ever, reprising his usual rambling, neurotically-charged, verbose self, sticking to his "Superbad" character. Though, even more entertaining, not to mention surprising, is Tatum, who, unlike his usual unsupply, numb and ligneous expression and acting ability ("Step-Up," "Fighting," "G.I.Joe: Rise of the Cobra," "Dear John," "The Vow," etc.) he feels loose and unrestrained, and even comfortable as his character, Jenko. Towards the end, though, the film ultimately looses any effect it initially had to reel viewers in with, especially during the police training sequences, and, with the interpolation of all too-familiar, genre-specific penile and homosexual references, as well as a 8-10 minute preview of "Project X," featuring a chaotic teen party, thanks to screenwriter Michael Baccall (who also worked on 'X'), and a hackneyed prom night-meets-gun-fight close, "21 Jump Street" is the raunchy, filth-filled refuse that many, if not all of the Youtube-generation and reality-TV aficionados alike, will be applauding and praising for months to come. Then, one day once the dust has settled, and the diapers have been changed, will be relived again, only this time on 'F-X' reruns and 'TBS' "Dinner-and-a-Movies." It's funny, just not, "that" funny. Call me when grown men flirting with under-age high school adolescents is hilarious...wait....this world is getting there.… Expand

This movie is really awesome, it's difficult to me to laugh watching a movie, but this movie, can do it ... And I'm very surprised, and I loved it... WATCH.. You're going to laugh since the start, until the end of the movie..

21 Jump Street is hilarious. I found it very entertaining but it's not really special for me, well it's offer many good laughs. Johny Depp's cameo was pretty unpredictable, and it has pretty cool music too. Miss high school?

I liked this a lot more than I thought I would. It's not really my sort of film, so it took a while to grow on me, but once it did there were some good laughs and a clever cameo or two. Jonah Hill does his thing and Channing Tatum is surprisingly quite good too. Nick Offerman and Brie Larson bring a bit of spark to their roles also. In the end it's all a bit predictable, but enjoyable enough.

The high rating is really disappointing. I have a fairly versatile sense of humor...I thought Superbad was funny mostly etc. and some of the newer things to come out...but this movie was just...not that funny imho. Considering the shape our country is in along with all the idiots who support a spineless gutless person in the WH...it's not a shock to see that a "comedy" like this is deemed actually funny to some. All the low IQ folks who thinks stupidity and non funny occurances will enjoy it.… Expand

A fantastically funny action-comedy! 21 Jump Street is without doubt the best comedy i've saw in a while. Granted, it's ridiculously over the top, but it's immensly entertaining and wonderfully witty and the pairing of Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill has proved to be a winning combination. I myself didn't see the original but the decision to reboot the tv show and bring it to the big screen was a brilliant one! The premise is simple enough two rookie cops (Tatum & Hill) are sent back to high school, undercover charged with the task of finding a new synthetic drug and locate the supplier. Ice Cube is awesome as their captain and seems a natural in the role but the bromance between Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum is terrific and they have a cracking chimstry to work of each other providing endless entertainment throughout as well as some hugely hilarious moments that are funny frequently throughout, the film also has the icing on the top with a cameo appearance from one Johnny Depp from the original. All in all i throuroughly enjoyed 21 Jump Street! It was a genuinely funny film that provided awesome entertainment and plenty of LOL moments. Comedy gold, dynamite movie!… Expand

There is so much that could have gone wrong with this movie, but thanks to everyone involved, and especially Jonah Hill, (who co-wrote the intelligent script) make it a memorable gem. Honestly I haven't seen a film that had me laughing this much for years. Balancing whip-smart satire and meta-comedy with the immaturity of high school lets '21 Jump Street' transcend it's genre. This worth seeing in theatres for the audience participation, (it had the packed theatre in stitches and clapping during the funniest parts), and worth seeing in general for the great script. In addition, Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are one of the funniest comedy teams in years, Jonah Hill plays a reversal of most of his roles while Tatum plays the deadpan delivery for some of the biggest laughs in the movie. Tatum may have just found a new genre for himself, and proves he's a better actor than his typical fare has led us to believe, and returns to the glory of his "Stop-Loss" performance. Overall, "21 Jump Street" is original, hilarious and continually surprising.… Expand

I loved this movie and so did everyone else I brought with me. From the sound of it, most of the theater we were in loved it as well. Channing and Jonah were a good funny combo. Without a doubt, this is one of the funniest movies I have seen in a long time. Don't go in expecting a brilliant cop drama with some humor. This is dumb entertainment that several times makes fun of itself and similar movies.… Expand

Id give this movie a score of 4 out of 10, but becasuse some people gave it 10 out of 10 (up there with Shindlers List, Saving Private Ryan, Star Wars, Jaws, Psycho, The Shining, Lord Of The Rings etc) im going to score it 1 out of 10. Obviously it must be a life changing moronic movie for morons.

Very funny movie, would watch it again in a heartbeat, I took my mom and dad out to the show and they laughed Real hard. Must see movie. Very good twists and character development. Go see this flick.

Comedy classic for me. Everything works. I was surprised at how funny ice cube and channing were. Didnt think they could handle comedy that good, but they both pulled it off with flying colors. This is non-stop laughter from beginning to end. In the same vein as 40year old virgin, pinapple express raunchy comedies.

Great movie, if you liked Superbad, you will most likely love this movie just as much. You can tell they put alot of research into it and inside jokes about Hollywood are hilarious!

Loved it. Ridiculous and over the top, silly fun. Channing and Jonah are a surprisingly entertaining comedic team. A bit heavy on the profanity and a couple of senseless gross out scenes but worth a trip to the movie theatre for this one. Audience during my midnight screening laughed throughout the movie.

First off, i was impressed with this movie. I didn't think this movie would be good when i first saw the trailer. Yeah it had its funny parts (in the trailer) but i truly felt like i watched the entire movie from the theatrical trailer. I was wrong. This movie was hilarious and it had a good plot to it as well. This is very unusual once it comes to comedies nowadays. Movies like Project X are just stupid because its alllll about teen partying, whereas in 21 jump street, you have multiple plots going on at once. This movie actually made you care about the characters which almost never happens in comedies today. 21 jump street had a very good story, very good acting by Channing Tatum (who i usually don't like at all) and from Jonah Hill who i think (excluding the sitter) has really stepped up his acting since his award worthy performance in Moneyball. This movie was of course, absolutely hilarious. Ice cubes character was small but memorable because he was just plain awesome. The film gets a bit cheesy with drama and such at some points but thats about the only flaw. This is the funniest movie of the year and one of the funniest in a very long time. I'll give 21 Jump Street an 8/10… Expand

Back in 1987, the fledgling Fox Network debuted, offering entertainment on Saturday and Sunday evenings aimed at a younger audience. One of the networkâ

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I absolutely loved this movie. It was a great comedy with great character development, and plenty of dirty sex jokes. I was actually quite surprised when I saw this. With most comedies, what they show in the trailer is the only funny parts of the movie. With this, I was laughing my butt off the whole way through. My only problem was the fact that it was a very predictable movie and the ending can be guessed correctly very early in the show. Highly recommend!… Expand

Never did like Channing Tatum or Jonah Hill but in this movie, their not bad. Jonah Hill was actually funny and Channing Tatum was actually acting. The storyline was somewhat close to the orginial TV show and even had the orginial guys do a cameo, which was really cool. The movie did have me at time laughing and feeling for the characters for it really spoke to me. So for that I would recommend all to go catch a matinee and have some fun!… Expand

I haven't watched the old Johnny Depp days on "21 Jump Street." Ever since the FOX network debuted in the late 80's, I saw some great moments from the show and I finally rent the series on Netflix. Now I've heard that they make a big 21 Jump Street the same title as the TV series did, and it was great. I saw the trailer and it looked like a retrospective homage to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" meets "Fast Times at Richmond High," But it's one of the best TV adaptations turned into a movie since "Charlie's Angels." Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum were incredibly funny, Ice Cube is hillarious, I might check it out this week. I wish the old 21 Jump Street could be bringing back on TV for re-runs.… Expand