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National Lampoon's Van Wilder
Artisan Entertainment


8.0

based on 24 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 37 votes
Read user comments
Rate this movie

FILM:

MPAA RATING: R for strong sexual content, gross humor, language and some drug content

Starring Ryan Reynolds, Tara Reid, Kal Penn, Tim Matheson, Kim Smith, Daniel Cosgrove, Tom Everett Scott, and Chris Owen

A hilarious coming-of-age story about the burden of facing real life...and the freedom that comes from not taking it too seriously. (Artisan Entertainment)

GENRE(S):	Comedy
WRITTEN BY:	Brent Goldberg David Wagner
DIRECTED BY:	Walt Becker
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: August 20, 2002 Video: August 20, 2002 Theatrical: April 5, 2002
RUNNING TIME:	95 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Boston Globe Loren King

Reynolds is the best thing about Van Wilder.

LA Weekly John Patterson

The film's sheer likability and very impressive gag-to-giggle ratio derive more from sweetness and sharpness than from shit jokes.

Philadelphia Inquirer Carrie Rickey

The result is a movie that is both laugh-out-loud funny and cringe-worthily silent.

Variety Scott Foundas

There's nary a comic idea in Van Wilder that isn't ripped off from a recent Farrelly brothers movie. But that doesn't stop Van Wilder from being very funny, provided you're not easily offended.

TV Guide Steve Simels

While not for every taste, this often very funny collegiate gross-out comedy goes a long way toward restoring the luster of the National Lampoon film franchise.

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

Studded with Lampoon/John Hughes anachronisms.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Ellen A. Kim

The gags on which it rests its laughs have been lifted from every other raucous comedy, campus-oriented or not.

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

The laugh-out-loud jokery is in short supply, and Reynolds and Reid's kicky charm only goes so far. Bluto Blutarsky, we miss you.

The New York Times Dave Kehr

What's lacking is the sense of structure that might have made Van Wilder more than a meandering succession of random gags.

Chicago Tribune Michael Wilmington

An unabashedly bad movie full of cliches, claptrap, fairly good rock 'n' roll and stomach-turning gross-out gags.

Los Angeles Times Gene Seymour

Those 24-and-unders who are looking for their own "Caddyshack" to adopt as a generational signpost may have to keep looking.

New Times (L.A.) Bill Gallo

Merely labeling National Lampoon's Van Wilder "sophomoric" or "vulgar" doesn't do justice to the perpetrators' dedication.

San Francisco Chronicle Mick LaSalle

Has to go down as a failed comedy. It's just not enough of a comedy.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

Laughter for me was such a physical impossibility during National Lampoon's Van Wilder that had I not been pledged to sit through the film, I would have lifted myself up by my bootstraps and fled.

Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach

A very funny movie ... in some alternate universe, maybe.

New York Daily News Jami Bernard

A movie that shouldn't be allowed on the same campus as "Animal House."

Miami Herald Charles Savage

This utter waste of time has next-to-nothing to do with the infinitely wittier golden-age National Lampoon movies.

USA Today Claudia Puig

Even by teen gross-out movie standards Van Wilder makes "Sorority Boys" look like "Some Like It Hot."

Chicago Reader Bill Stamets

Painfully unfunny.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Nathan Rabin

Reynolds and Reid's white-bread romance begs to be left on the cutting-room floor, but then again, so does just about every other scene in Van Wilder, which distinguishes itself only in featuring a level of ejaculate rarely found outside of hardcore porn.

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

Painfully flat gross-out comedy.

Film Threat Michael Dequina

Much too aggressively juvenile crass.

Washington Post Michael O'Sullivan

The movie is really just an elaborate excuse to show repeated close-ups of an elephantine dog scrotum.

New York Post Lou Lumenick

This is the sort of low-grade dreck that usually goes straight to video -- with a lousy script, inept direction, pathetic acting, poorly dubbed dialogue and murky cinematography, complete with visible boom mikes.

The average user rating for this movie is 8.0 (out of 10) based on 37 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

A N. gave it a10:
Classic movie. Me and my friends were rolling on the floor laughing when it first came out. I must mention that we do have a rather immature sense of humor, which is why this movie appealed to us.

Kevin S. gave it a9:
This movie was hilarious and all these critics are retarded and need to find a new job!

Mo K. gave it a10:
A college-comedy classic. SO many quotable lines and memorable moments. of course it's a lousy movie - but it's still hillarious. Reviewers need to chill out and stop reviewing every movie like it's an oscar contender.

Nick S gave it a10:
All around hilarious movie. Who ever gave it a 26 should be shot. All in all a great movie and something every college kid should own!

Aaron A gave it a10:
Well duh, this movie was off the hook, and as for chevy chase, get a clue, i hated all of his movies. This movie was beyond funny, and just quite perfect. And they're right, how dare you compare animal house to this, this is so much better!!!!

Stephen W. gave it a9:
Very entertaining movie. If you a soccermom or a goody-goody or christian, even all 3, you probably won't or should like this movie. The rest of us can "Deal" with gross, disturbing scenes (Donut part), enjoy it.

ryan m gave it a10:
Genius friggin genius, loved it, blah.

National Lampoon's Van Wilder Artisan Entertainment

National Lampoon's Van Wilder
Artisan Entertainment