A high school slacker who's rejected by every school he applies to opts to create his own institution of higher learning, the South Harmon Institute of Technology, on a rundown piece of prop... Read allA high school slacker who's rejected by every school he applies to opts to create his own institution of higher learning, the South Harmon Institute of Technology, on a rundown piece of property near his hometown.A high school slacker who's rejected by every school he applies to opts to create his own institution of higher learning, the South Harmon Institute of Technology, on a rundown piece of property near his hometown.
- Awards
- 4 nominations total
Featured reviews
Though I knew it was going to be another type of movie in the style of Revenge of the Nerds, I was still impressed.
There is plenty of truth to the fact of this type of learning and believe very strongly that it should be allowed in a "new style of schooling".
Conventional teaching methods do not always teach students what they need to know or should know or want to know.
This approach to teaching should be further sought out in true academic courses.
While there still was too much of the partying scenes, it obviously had to be thrown in there - for Hollywood's sake of making a comedy about college...even though we all know that life isn't really like that by any means.
A touch unbelievable, still funny and with a killer ending.
Awesome ending. Crucial to the entire story and very surprising.
Without the final scene, the movie would have been half as good.
I liked this movie and it didn't have to have overly amounts of swearing or nudity or gross out jokes for it to be good.
Great crew and cast, story and even the generic typecasting of the obligatory "Hampton frat members" was well done.
American Pie 1, 2 3 and American Wedding or whatever clones it makes doers not measure up to this by 1/3.
Far better than most comedies about first year College with no demeaning stupid jokes to make somebody throw up with.
I liked it, even though it was simple...it was interesting and even had heart...my only regret for watching this movie is that it wasn't longer.
Take a couple hours and see this film, they will not have been wasted.
The movie is not realistic at all. There is no way in this world that somebody who didn't get accept anywhere would bother with creating a new school, there are other options after all such as community colleges and trade school, plus it would never work. But the thing is that movies don't have to be realistic. As long as they are fun and bring a message and this movie does it.
It is not the usual college comedy. It isn't all about sex and profanity (not that I am against such kind of a comedy but it is always fun to see something different). It has a very positive and clever humor.
The cast is great as well. I liked Justin Long, Jonah Hill and it was great to see Leis Black. Although since this movie is not R rated he couldn't be at his best. Actors who are not as well known as these three were also a good collection. Jeremy Howard especially stood out.
And I liked the message of the movie. It criticizes the obsession with traditional education. Which is not the best for everybody and often takes away from people the ability of self discovery. It is also very bureaucratic and doesn't always make sense. Like when Monica (Black Liveley) who majors in photography says that she can't take classes that are not part of her major (even though they are about photography as well). This fake college offers that self discovery to students ho are very much outcasts of the society (there is a guy with ADD, a stripper a creepy guy etc). I think the only problem with the movie was that they really dumbed down the college program. Instead having classes like "daydreaming" which is a total nonsense they could have been more creative. They still could have things like skating or rock'n roll and no traditional math/chemistry etc classes, but they could have more useful creative ideas. Something like "exploring the nature around you", "inventing of new recipes" etc. etc.
It was kinda corny at the very beginning, but quickly picks up. I laughed. I laughed very hard on some parts. The acting is basically above average, nothing special, but better then average. I can safely say it was the second funniest movie to come out this summer (1st funniest being CLERKS II). So after all of that I give it a 7/10 (a high seven, but not quite an eight).
This movie was mildly funny and really if it weren't for Jonah Hill it would not have been that. Justin Long's style and the played out clichés just didn't do it for me. What clichés? Well, he was rejected by Harmon College which, of course, is full of wealthy xenophobic WASPs who wouldn't even urinate on you if you were on fire if you don't fit their mold. Harmon College and its attendees were the typical over-the-top bourgeois, nose-in-the-air, stuck up group which give the undying impression that all rich people are a-holes. And Bartleby, or B, was the quirky, witty, cliché individualist that flies in the face of the establishment. In other words, a Hollywood plot we've all seen a thousand times.
That's not to say that the movie was a total bust and not worth watching. Like I stated, Johan Hill as Sherman Schrader was great. It was interesting enough to see how big he used to be. Lewis Black, for those who like him, was in classic form. The movie had good moments and provided a solid story of a school started by students. It's just Justin Long and the redressed "Revenge of the Nerds" that I didn't like.
Did you know
- TriviaLewis Black's character says the word "fuck" twice, but one was literally bleeped out in order to make the movie PG-13.
- Goofs(at around 1h 28 mins) In the last scene, as Dean Van Horne is walking towards his car, he hesitates because he is anticipating the explosion which destroys his vehicle.
- Quotes
Bartleby Gaines: Nah, I'm not going to answer your question, 'cause you guys have already made up your minds. I'm an expert in rejection, and I can see it on your faces, and it's too bad that you judge us by the way we look and not by who we are, just because you want us to be more like them when the truth is we're not like them, and I am damn proud of that fact! I mean, Harmon College and their - their 100 years of tradition. But tradition of what? Of hazing kids and humiliating anyone who's a bit different? Of putting so much pressure on kids they turn into these - these stress freaks and caffeine addicts.
Dean Van Horne: Your phony school demeans real colleges everywhere!
Bartleby Gaines: Why? Why can't we both exist? Huh? You can have your grades, and your rules and your structure and your ivory towers, and then we'll do things our way. Why do we have to conform to what you want?
Dean Van Horne: Your curriculum is a joke, and you, sir, are a criminal.
Bartleby Gaines: You know what? You're a criminal. 'Cause you rob these kids of their creativity and their passion. That's the real crime! Well, what about you parents? Did -did the system really work out for you? Did it teach you to follow your heart, or to just play it safe, roll over? What about you guys? Did you always want to be school administrators? Dr. Alexander, was that your dream? Or maybe no, maybe you wanted to be a poet. Maybe you wanted to be a magician or an artist. Maybe you just wanted to travel the world. Look, I - I lied to you. I lied to all of you, and I'm sorry. Dad, especially to you. But out of that desperation, something happened that was so amazing. Life was full of possibilities, and isn't that what you ultimately want for us? As parents, I mean, is - is that, is possibilities. Well, we came here today to ask for your approval, and something just occurred to me: I don't give a shit. Who cares about your approval? We don't need your approval to tell us that what we did was real. 'Cause there are so few truths in this world, that when you see one, you just know it. And I know that it is a truth that real learning took place at South Harmon. Whether you like it or not, it did. 'Cause you don't need teachers or classrooms or - or fancy highbrow traditions or money to really learn. You just need people with a desire to better themselves, and we got that by the shit-load at South Harmon. So you can go ahead, sign your forms, reject us and shoot us down, and do whatever you gotta do. It doesn't really matter at this point, because we'll never stop learning, and we'll never stop growing, and we'll never forget the ideals what were instilled in us at our place, 'cause we are SHIT heads now, and we'll be SHIT heads forever and nothing you say can do or stamp can take that away from us, so GO!
- Crazy creditsThe last line in the credits segment "The Filmmakers Wish To Thank" reads, "And all the Students at South Harmon Institute of Technology".
- ConnectionsFeatured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Memorable School Speeches in Movies (2014)
- SoundtracksBlitzkreig Bop
Written by Joey Ramone, Johnny Ramone, Dee Dee Ramone, Tommy Ramone
Performed by Justin Long and The Ringers
Produced by Todd Homme
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Admitido
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $23,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $36,323,505
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $10,023,835
- Aug 20, 2006
- Gross worldwide
- $38,623,262
- Runtime
- 1h 33m(93 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1