Blockers review

BLOCKERS:

RAUNCHY TEEN SEX COMEDY SNEAKS IN A SWEET MESSAGE ABOUT PARENTING AND LETTING GO!

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** out of 4

UNIVERSAL PICTURES

John Cena, Leslie Mann, and Ike Barinholtz “Blocking” their daughters’ sex pact in Blockers

            What do you get when you unintentionally make an all-female reboot of American Pie or Superbad with more focus on the parents than the teens? Blockers, the latest teen sex comedy film that reverses the gender roles commonly found in most teen comedies with outrageous results and a surprising amount of heart.

            Funny how I reviewed a movie focusing on parenting a few days ago with the horror movie, A Quiet Place and yet, here we are again, immediately following it with Blockers. At first glance it looks like the typical low-brow raunchy comedy with clichéd jokes and character stereotypes, but this movie cleverly adds a new spin to the teen sex comedy genre where instead of boys looking to have sex at prom night, it’s a group of girls trying to get laid and it doesn’t quite go the way you would expect.

            The film follows three parents, single mother, Lisa (Leslie Mann-17 Again, Funny People, This is 40), divorced father, Hunter (Ike Barinholtz-Neighbors, Sisters, Suicide Squad), and overprotective father, Mitchell (John Cena-The Marine, Trainwreck, Ferdinand) who became friends through their daughters as children. Now teenagers, Julie (Kathryn Newton-Paranormal Activity 4, Lady Bird, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri), Kayla (Newcomer, Geraldine Viswanathan), and Sam (Gideon Adlon-Louie) decide they want to lose their virginity at prom night, which is indeed a night to remember, so they form a sex pact to make it happen.

            Upon hearing about their daughters’ plans to have sex with their prom dates (One of which has a despicable smirk), Lisa, Hunter, and Mitchell launch a covert one-night operation to stop them, or “Block” them if you will before they seal the deal. What follows is a chaotic chase filled with drinking, drugs, exploding cars, and some really odd sexual activities all under the name of “Good Parenting”.

            The film also stars Graham Phillips (Ben 10: Race Against Time, The Good Wife, Riverdale) as Austin, newcomers, Miles Robbins and Jimmy Bellinger as Connor and Chad, June Diane Raphael (NTSF:SD:SUV, Grace and Frankie, Ass Backwards) as Brenda, Jake Picking (The Way, Way Back, Patriots Day, Only the Brave) as Kyler, Hannibal Buress (Neighbors, The Nice Guys, Spider-Man: Homecoming) as Frank, Sarayu Rao (Leela, Lions for Lambs, Dealin’ with Idiots) as Marcie, Gary Cole (The Brady Bunch Movie, Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law, Kim Possible) as Ron, Colton Dunn (madTV, Parks and Recreation, Superstore) as Rudy, Gina Gershon (Bound, Face/Off, Killer Joe) as Cathy, and Newcomer, Ramona Young as Angelica.

            Overall, Blockers is a refreshing take on the teen sex comedy genre that blends its raunchy humor with a sweet message about parenting and letting go of your child. Granted I personally didn’t think the comedy is where the movie shines, it’s the heartfelt moments that really did it for me, I’ve laughed a lot harder at other comedies, but I appreciate the moral.

            Not to say I didn’t laugh at all during the film, but it’s one of those instances where a lot of the funniest bits are shown in the trailers which kind of spoils the fun. With that said, it’s a well-written script and the three leads have good chemistry together and it’s enjoyable to watch them work off each other.

            There are some nitpicks I have regarding the movie, obviously the trailers giving away the best jokes is one. While I loved the gender-reversal concept, I felt most of the teen jokes were generic and filler, vomiting from too much drinking, the naughty tomboyish girl in the group being jacked up on drugs (Seen it), gross-out gags, and high school stereotypes and tropes, it isn’t bad or anything, but it makes you wish the movie went back to the parents.

            A narrative nitpick I had was the tomboy girl, apparently, she’s a virgin which I found really strange. She looks like the kind of girl who boys would probably be going nuts for, I guess it’s Emma Stone in Easy A logic where you can be a total knockout and have difficulties finding a boyfriend.

            Fortunately, the flaws I have don’t ruin the movie, and it is a legitimately good time with laughs and heart. I don’t think it’s as outrageous as Superbad or American Pie, but Blockers adds a new take to an old genre and a heartwarming side on top of it.