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21 Jump Street (2012)

Director: Phil Lord, Chris Miller

Time Out rating

Average user rating

17 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

The ’80s TV show that made Johnny Depp famous may not be an obvious choice for a big screen follow-up, but casting Channing Tatum opposite Jonah Hill is a no-brainer. Tatum is Jenko, a jock-turned-cop who reluctantly teams up with his high school contemporary, brainy misfit Schmidt (Hill). Together, they might just last it out in the LAPD – that’s if they can stop bungling arrests.

One such blunder lands them at 21 Jump Street, the resurrected ’80s programme that places puppy-faced cops undercover in high school. Posing as brothers, Jenko and Schmidt return to the halls. But it turns out times have changed.To Jenko’s horror, it’s now cool to be eco-friendly and wear your backpack with both straps. Added to that, the high school pecking order puts Schmidt in with the popular kids and jock Jenko with the nerds.

This twist ushers in some witty observations of that constantly evolving beast: the American teenager. Meanwhile, Hill is reliably amusing as the geek in awe of girls and laid-back Tatum builds on the comic chops he showed in ‘The Dilemma’. Naturally, the pair end up doing everything their boss (Ice Cube) tells them not to, and while a drug-taking sequence is predictable, it’s also laugh-out-loud funny.

It’s a shame that ‘21 Jump Street’ falls down both on plot and action – the car chases are a real bore. Save a cameo from a certain A-lister, the third act is vastly inferior. But thanks to charming leads and a smattering of laughs, this is still worth a punt for fans of light buddy comedies.

Author: Anna Smith

Time Out London Issue 2169: March 16-22, 2012

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User reviews of this film

Thomas Noctor said...

Posted on May 12 2012 18:54 Comedy of the year by a mile. Great buddy movie. Going to get it on blu ray as soon as its released.

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critique said...

Posted on May 03 2012 21:41 Cracking good fun.

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mr shamalama said...

Posted on Apr 29 2012 14:27 it was a great film i ate about one onion baji throughout the film but i could'nt understand it cause im jappaneeze

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ARCHGATE said...

Posted on Apr 19 2012 12:51 this film is not '100 % trash' somebody is telling porkies to justify what is without the shadow of a doubting thomas, a narrow minded buffoon.

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Sal said...

Posted on Apr 18 2012 13:41 I thought the movie was really good and funny! Defo worth watching it! Channing Tatum looks HOT in the movie ladies! ;)

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emoffatem said...

Posted on Apr 07 2012 11:26 This film is pure 100% trash. Hardly any laughs. Jonah Hill is not funny and should stop trying to be! He does not impress and has no talent or business writing comedy. He co-authored the film and it shows because the acting and script is bullshit - the storyline has been rehashed in old tv shows, skits and sketches. I am gobsmacked the entire film was funded by a big studio and the only reason why was (of course) appears to be that it was cheap to produce and Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are Executive Producers.
The numerous times the words - “dick” - and - “shit” - feature in the film should shock anyone. “Dick this, dick that, shit on this, shit on that...”...all supposed to be comedy - it just gets tiresome and boring.
Johnny Depp should be ashamed for making a little cameo in this.
The best attempts the film makers can muster up as funny lines are all in the trailers – and even that is hardly laugh-out-loud stuff.
The climax of the film, when Jonah Hill and Canning Tatum point to a sausage lying on the ground as some guy's dick being shot off, is so dumb and juvenile I would have walked out.
It disgusts me that this film has been hyped up as it has. It’s as dumb and unfunny as any of the other Apatow stuff that has been shitted out over the years.
Channing Tatum does not do much in the film and his acting skills are zero.
I found the plot unbelievable - and there was loads of crap acting. And you thought George Lucas was a bad director.
Somebody needs to point out that having the two lead characters driving cars into one another on an empty car lot to see how they "hilariously" fall off the car bonnet and hit the ground .... is NOT funny! It's comedy filler in a film veering off what scraps of plot there is. Also, the pointless climactic cop shootout is NOT funny. The crap sentimental brotherly-love between the characters is more filler for a pointless film and is NOT funny! The idea of being stabbed in the back at a "house party" and then laughing about it with the house crowd in a spontaneous manner... is NOT funny! Do NOT waste your time seeing this piece of excrement. I guarantee you you will be bored.
In conclusion, I would never ever buy this film, I would not recommend any one seeing this film, I hope it flops – I do not believe films like this should be made for cinema. It is not even a good “dude comedy” which is what this is purporting to be. You can see the filler and padding out in the film – including the shots included because it might be funny. Beware this is rubbish and you will be bored.

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ric said...

Posted on Mar 28 2012 10:17 i picked up 3 points speeding while going to cinema so as you can imagine i was pi$£ed off but i very much forgot all about it when the movie started till finish which means i loved the movie & forgot all about my ticket worries. Film was brilliant-go see...just watch your speedo on those sunny days & scumbags popping out from bushes with speed gun :-$

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scrumpyjack said...

Posted on Mar 28 2012 09:15 Biggest laughs for ages! Totally ace and could quite possibly end up in my years top 10. 8/10

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Orbico said...

Posted on Mar 23 2012 00:30 A 3 star review is an insult! It’s the best film I’ve seen in a very long time! I bet the critic who wrote the review likes films like “Driven” and “Lost in Translation”. If you like these two films I mentioned don’t watch this film as you are clearly different.

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ALAN PACINO said...

Posted on Mar 21 2012 11:57 Wooaaah wo. Jonah Hill is the funniest dude on the planet. whooah hooo! See it and laugh real loud. hooa.

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Sutton said...

Posted on Mar 19 2012 13:35 I thought the film was funny, it did not disappoint, especially if you’ve seen the trailers. A few clichés and a poor stage scene, but otherwise a good night out.

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Mrs Miggins said...

Posted on Mar 18 2012 17:01 RJ: The cameo was common knowledge - and the cast list is always a clue! FYI I reviewed it before she bothered to. The critic sounds as if they've just copy and pasted the press release. zzzzz. The film is worth more than that; it's a great laugh and if she isn't into this film genre - they should have sent a reviewer who is.

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Rachel said...

Posted on Mar 18 2012 16:24 seriosuly. THE best film ive ever seen. i laughed so hard my cheeks ached the whole way home. seriosuly fucking amazing!! so so funny. 10,000 stars!

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Ian said...

Posted on Mar 17 2012 22:42 The review is pretty much on the button. The majority of the audience tonight seemed to be teenagers or in their early twenties and seemed to find it funner than I did. Perhaps it is a generational thing but I am sure I have seen this film many times before.
Pleasant enough and funny in places but most of the gags including the geeks and hookers at the prom have been used before. Amusing in places but sometimes cliched its worth 3 stars.

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TRUTHTELLER. said...

Posted on Mar 17 2012 17:15 The cameo isn't exactly a secret. That person's name is listed in the credits.

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