Collegiate Times

Seann William Scott and Paul Rudd bring laughs and a new meaning to the term "big brother" in David Wain's "Role Models."

Danny (Rudd) and Wheeler (Scott) are a pair of energy drink salesmen who go from school to school to promote their product to teens in an effort to keep them off drugs. Wheeler is a womanizer who loves life the way it is, and Danny hates his job. When Danny realizes his life as a drink pitcher isn't what he had hoped for, he goes on an angry rampage, picking fights with everyone -- even a coffee shop employee -- leading his girlfriend, Beth (Elizabeth Banks), to leave him. Luckily, Danny's recent ex-flame works at a law firm. When he defaces school property on a job with Wheeler, she gets them out of the fix. The two face a choice -- 30 days in prison or 150 hours of community service at "Sturdy Wings" big sibling agency.

Jail seems like an OK option when Danny and Wheeler meet their "littles." One is a 10-year-old hellion named Ronnie (Bobb'e J. Thompson) with a mouth like Chris Rock and no tolerance for Danny and Wheeler, the attendant "bigs."  The other is Augie, (Christopher Mintz-Plasse, aka McLovin from "Superbad") an older little who is stuck in fantasy land, wears a cape, and is preparing for the fantasy role-playing tournament. Our two heroes go through the typical early-plot setup: They try to engage the kids and fail miserably.

Though the film is made for the college crowd who loved the crude language and crazy humor in "Superbad," it was refreshing in that you actually saw some sincerity in it. Somewhat sappy at parts, yes, but the feelings came across as genuine in the film in the way they were delivered through the storyline.

Scott and Rudd are double-edged swords in that they both definitely came through with their characters and had the audience rolling in the aisles. But it was also the same routine we are used to seeing for both actors. Scott could have been mistaken for Stifler from "American Pie" at parts, with his perversion and woman-chasing habits, and Rudd's pores were seeping with his depressed-yet-asshole-like character Peter from "Knocked Up."

One of the favorite characters of this movie is Jane Lynch, playing the founder and owner of Sturdy Wings. She is deliciously quirky and awkward, as her character is that of a former addict who turned from her drug addiction to start helping others. Her hilarity comes in with her behavior towards the guys, such as her insistent claim: "You can't BS a BSer."

The winner for most laughs comes from young Mr. Thompson in the role of Ronnie. His witty repartee and constant use of vulgar language had the audience in stitches, and his one-liners throughout the film were quoted upon leaving, including a hilarious comparison of Rudd's character to Ben Affleck.

All in all, a funny story with a tinge of serious dialogue, some cheap laughs and corny scenes, but a good time all around with a cast that brought Wain's vision together well. Just don't take the kids to see this one if you are babysitting.