Old School

Starring: Luke Wilson, Will Ferrell

RS: 2of 4 Stars

2003 Comedy

Need a Will Ferrell fix? I do. The wicked clown who skewered Dubya, among other targets, left SNL last year after seven seasons and two Emmy nominations to go Hollywood. Ferrell's movies are mostly throwaways -- though I'll defend Zoolander and A Night at the Roxbury -- but he is hilarious in all of them, even -- gulp! -- The Ladies Man. You take Ferrell where you can get him.

Which brings us to Old School, a crassly eager-to-please mix of Animal House and Jackass in which Ferrell, Vince Vaughn and Luke Wilson play old guys (they're thirtysomething) who open a frat house -- Snoop Dogg is their house band.

The film, directed by Todd Phillips (Road Trip), is only fitfully funny, except when Ferrell is onscreen -- then you won't stop laughing. As the just-married Frank, he reverts to a streaking party animal who recalls John Belushi's Bluto, only grosser. Ferrell is an asset to any film -- even if he does have a thing for baring his flabby ass -- so somebody, please, write him a good one.

PETER TRAVERS
(February 21, 2003)