'21 JUMP STREET'

'21 JUMP STREET' (R) (3 STARS)

Written by Michael Bacall and Jonah Hill based on television series.
Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
Actors: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Ice Cube, Dave Franco, Nick Offerman, Brie Larson, Rob Riggle, Ellie Kemper

Now this is how you remake a television series, with smarts, a self deprecating sense of humor and a fast introduction. Yes the movie is dumb but it is dumb in a smart way like all the best comedies like this are. I also like that there is very little exposition in the beginning. The movie very quickly introduces us to the main characters and we know them well after only 5 minutes. This is a fast screwball comedy that I laughed at a lot and smiled throughout every minute. This is a classic dumb comedy in the great tradition of under rated comedy classics like "Bachelor Party" and "Up the Creek".

Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum play new police recruits who went to high school together. Hill plays Schmidt who was a nerd in school and Tatum plays Jenko who was a popular jock. They strike up a great comraderie and unlikely friendship. As they become new police recruits we find out obviously that Schmidt has smarts and Jenko has the brawn and strength. They are sent on a case by their new boss, played hilariously by Ice Cube, to go undercover as high school students to crack a drug case. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum have such great chemistry together and are delightful so much so I hope they make a sequel.

I did not expect this to be a good movie and I love when I am wrong. The movie starts with a very funny chase scene and drug bust. Then we meet their Seargant and Ice Cube is great as their boss in a constant slow burn making fun of his usual growl and sneer in other movies. Then the boys go to school and hilariously find out the cool kids are different today from their day at school. This is a shock to Jenko who was popular and I love when Jenko becomes friends with the geeks and Schmidt becomes cool. There is some wonderful writing as we learn about all the kids in this school and how the heroes adapt to them as people and not the usual stereotypes. There is also a love interest for Schmidt played sweetly by Brie Larson.

The movie has some dumb moments for sure that miss but the writing is mostly spot on. The movie is fast and has few slow or dull moments and we get characters deeply written, not as one note jokes. I also did not expect there to be a good plot, just a lot of lame, vulgar jokes. We get funny situations out of characters but we do also get some great satire on cop movie cliches. This is the type of movie that makes a bad movie like "Bad Boys" with Will Smith look pathetic. I am also happy to report that the under rated Channing Tatum is back and proves he can do comedy very well and he matches Hill who is very good here as always. This is the energetic action movie that brings Tatum back from his stupor in "The Vow".

There is also great comic support by future comedy stars in Ellie Kemper (The Office) and Rob Riggle. You also have one of the best cameos I have ever seen in a comedy like this. I was smiling and my heart jumped when this cameo came up and it is a very funny cameo. "21 Jump Street" is loose, smart, has great comedic action scenes and a great duo in Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum. I laughed a lot and always smiled and I was surprised how smart this so called dumb comedy was.