Orange County

I LOVE Jack Black and this was the first movie that I ever saw with him. It arrived in like new condition and I played it the same day that I received it. It's hilarious..

Orange County is about a guy from Orange County who wants to be a writer. He feels stifled by the O.C., but if he could only get into Stanford then things would change. Everyone in Orange County is an idiot except him, it seems (sorry Orange County, I don't mean to disparage your intelligence. That is just what I gather from this movie. Besides, I'm the last one to talk, since I am in Bakersfield). In some ways it is like Finding Forrester, but not nearly as good. It is a light comedy with Shaun Brumder's (Colin Hanks) quest for Stanford and a writing career functioning more as an excuse for zany antics and slapstick.

Colin Hanks is the son of actor Tom Hanks. He doesn't do so badly, but it is hard not to compare him to his father. His girlfriend Ashley is played by Schuyler Fisk, who is the daughter of Sissy Spacek. She is a cute red head, and she looks a lot like her mother. Both Colin and Schuyler (pronounced Skyler) were perfectly adequate, and let's give them a chance to carve out their own identities.

In a film about someone wanting to write, I am always curious about who wrote the film. Is it autobiographical? I think that clearly it is, as it was written by Mike White who could very well be from Orange County, or at least Southern California. He wrote a few episodes of Freaks and Geeks, and also a lot of his projects involve the talents of Jack Black. Funny how the two are like opposites, Black and White, yet they work together so much. As well as Orange County, Mike White also wrote scripts for The School of Rock and Nacho Libre.

Mike White acts, too, but mostly kind of nerdy character roles like Ned Schneebly in The School of Rock, or in this film, he plays high school English teacher, Mr. Burke.

Mr. Burke: Now, when I say "Romeo and Juliet," who comes to mind?
Dana: Claire Danes?
Mr. Burke: That's right, Claire Danes. Who else?
Chad: Leonardo DiCaprio.
Mr. Burke: Right. Who else? Well, you know someone else was involved in that movie who in some ways is as famous as Leonardo Di Caprio. And his name is William Shakespeare. And some great movies have been made based on his plays: Hamlet, West Side Story, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Waterworld, Gladiator, Chocolat...

As you can see, Shaun really does need to escape the idiots in Orange County. Mr. Burke likes Shaun's story, though.

Mr. Burke: Shaun! I read your story. You used a lot of big words. Great! Good for you! It was a little long, so I didn't read the whole thing, but who cares 'cause I gave you an A!

Catherine O'Hara was good as Shaun's mother, Cindy Beugler. She played a lush housewife very well, a little too well so I wondered if it was merely acting? She is from Second City TV, and was in Best of Show and A Mighty Wind.

Jack Black has a few scenes where he really steals the show. At first his Lance Brumder is just a drug addled loser, the kind of role Jack could play in his sleep with one hand tied behind his back. Is he just going to phone it in? But then when they take a road trip to Stanford, the old Black magic is back. He breaks into the Admissions office and when he gets caught, he attempts to seduce the secretary. Hilarity ensues.

Kevin Kline plays the professor and writer that Shaun wants to go to Stanford to study with. There is a scene where he finally does get to meet him and he gets some advice and a critique of his story. Life is not always Black and White, and sometimes there are various shades of Orange County involved. The only thing is, the last bit of advice he gives could apply to the movie that we are watching just as well: The story needs a better ending.


Jack Black Rules!!!!!

King Kong (Widescreen Edition) (2005) .... Carl Denham

Anchorman - The Legend Of Ron Burgundy (Unrated Widescreen Edition) (2004) (uncredited) .... Motorcyclist

School of Rock (Widescreen Edition) (2003) .... Dewey Finn

Ice Age (Single Disc Edition) (2002) (voice) .... Zeke

Shallow Hal (2001) .... Hal Larson

High Fidelity (2000) .... Barry

Enemy of the State (1998) .... Fiedler

The Jackal - Collector's Edition (1997) .... Ian Lamont

Mars Attacks! (1996) .... Billy Glenn Norris

The Cable Guy (Full Screen) (1996) .... Rick

Shaun: Lance, I want you to stay in your room.
Lance: Why?
Shaun: Because you're an embarrassment.
Lance: OK!

Orange county offers Everything you could ask for in a genuine comedy. The characters where well developed throughout the movie. Jack Black is comedy at its finest. Colin Hanks plays his character as well as anyone could have the chemistry between him and his brother (jack) Is priceless and never gets old. The music in the movie is perfect and also adds to the beauty of the movie. This is my favorite movie and in my opinion one of the greatest comedies of all time. A great story about a kid struggling to get into college only to find out that there are so many things more important. The story will touch your heart and the comedy will touch you where you like it most.

I actually thought this movie was good so I bought it for $10. I watched it one night a few months later and I was bored watching it. The plot is about a kid named Sean (Colin Hanks) who needs to get some big mess straightened out about his transcript. He goes along with girlfriend Ashley and his brother (Jack Black) to get the mess straightened out so he can get into to Stanford. It just got boring the whole time when they all were in hot pursuit of the transcript for most of the movie and I don't think I even laughed once. Most of the characters annoyed me and I might be in the minority for saying this but I don't find Jack Black to be funny at all. He's such a poser who copies other funny people. They wasted John Lithgow. I guess being in this movie made John phone this one in. I don't blame him quite frankly. And Catherine O'Hara needs to drop the early '90s frantic mom bit from The Home Alone movies. Her character was a drunk version of Mrs. McCalister. Hopefully the younger Hanks can make better career choices later on and have the type of career his father is having. Anyone who wants to see this movie skip at all costs. It's just another terrible teen movie trying to live up to the reputation of Clueless!

Shaun Brumder grew up in Orange County,California.His friends are surfers and and his fellow students think of Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio when asked what they know about "Romeo and Juliet".His parents are divorced and remarried.Each set of parents are loony and dysfunctional to the max.Shaun donates his urine so that his older brother can avoid parole violations.He has a sweet girlfriend who saves animals and is quite content in Orange County.But Shaun wants to be a writer and Stanford University is the goal.He has the grades,but his inept "guidance (or lack thereof) counselor sends the wrong transcripts to Stanford, and Shaun is rejected.Thus begins a comical romp to come to grips with the most important lesson that Shaun will learn....to write well, he never need leave home.But he has to go through the crazy shenanigans of brother (Jack Black),nutty parents (Catherine O'Hara-what a hoot,and John Lithgow),school counselor (Lily Tomlin) in order to come full circle.Colin Hanks and Schuyler Fisk are Shaun and girlfriend Ashley.The real comedy, though,comes from the zany performances of the veterans O'Hara,Lithgow,Tomlin and somewhat Black.Jake Kasdan's script is a little above the raunchy teen-angst film of standard fare,but the performers MAKE this film what it is.I laughed a lot and it made this Easterner understand Britney Spears perhaps a little better...maybe?