Movie Review: 21 Jump Street

The 2012 movie is based on the TV sitcom of the late eighties and early nineties involving young cops going undercover in high school to break up a drug ring. Unlike the seriousness of the sitcom, the movie is a bit more on the lighter side with a combination of action and comedy.  If you never saw the TV series, you will still be able to enjoy the movie. 

Jenko (Channing Tatum , the popular high school jock,  and Schmidt (Jonah Hill), the unpopular nerd, meet again seven years after high school graduation in the police academy.  This time around the pair become friends and helps each other through the academy.  Despite their enthusiasm, the pair is sent to the undercover division of 21 Jump Street to break up a drug ring at a local high school after a botched arrest.  This time around Jenko and Schmidt have a different experience in high school, in a reversal of roles of sort.  They realize high school is not what they remembered.  Aside from dealing with the insecurities that come along with high school, re-living their glory days or not so glory days, the two still have a job to do by identifying and bringing down the dealers and suppliers of the drugs.

Ice Cube portrays the no nonsense captain who runs the Jump Street division.   The language may be off putting if you are sensitive to swearing.  A nod to the past, the Jump Street division is in the same abandoned church from the TV series. If you do not mind a bit of slapstick comedy, you should this movie as long as you do not take it too seriously and do not mind obvious stereotypes.

Cast: Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Dave Franco, Ice Cube

Cameo appearances by cast members from the original TV show include, Johnny Depp, Holly Robinson Peete and Peter DeLuise.

Opens March 16, 2012

Run time approximately 1 hour 44 minutes.