Someone in Hollywood said "Hey you know what works? High School stoner movies" Well maybe after Regan left office and the War on Drugs was still fresh in people's minds. Clearly that's why High School got green-lighted.
Henry (Matt Bush), is the classic straight A high achieving but socially awkward senior working his way to MIT. His mother is an alcoholic who fell apart after his parents divorced, and he's in love with the cool cheerleader across the street. All he wants is to finish school top of his class and go to MIT. Breaux (Sean Marquette) is the local stoner. Matt and Breaux were childhood friends but no longer hang out. A parking lot accident forces them back together and at the odds of the school Principal (Michael Chiklis who i didn't even recognize) Principal Gordon wages a war on drugs after the a current high achieving student and 3 time spelling bee champions gets so high before her competition it cases a scandal.
This movie feel like they took a formula checklist and went down the list. Power-tripping Principal with some side issues, in this case a wife who sleeps with students, check, hot cheerleader who knows the nerd exists but won't talk to him because it breaks social norms, check, crazed drug dealer who the kids feel they have to steal from, check, insane plot device - insert mandatory drug tests right after the straight laced student gets high for the first time., check. Kids steal weed to put in brownies to dose the whole school, hijinks ensue.
This movie is a mess. Adrien Brody plays the drug dealer Psycho Ed, complete with cornrows and of course super smart student early grad turned lawyer who turned to dealing after he got high for the first time. He's probably the only highlight of the film, he's high the entire time and talks to his frog, who he swears talks back. The laughs are few and far between, mostly don't come until the whole school is high on the pot brownies, every scene Adrien Brody is is good but so much of this movie is just not. I give this movie a wait for cable. Don't waste your money you will be disappointed.
High School is rated R.
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