College (2008 film)
College is a 2008 comedy film starring Drake Bell, Andrew Caldwell, and Kevin Covais and directed by first-time director Deb Hagan. It was released on August 29, 2008 by MGM. The story follows three high school seniors, who spend the weekend visiting Fieldmont University for freshman orientation, and get involved in various antics. The film garnered generally negative reviews from critics and was a box-office bomb, grossing $6 million worldwide against its $7 million budget.
College | |
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Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Deb Hagan |
Produced by | Malcolm Petal Julie Dangel |
Written by | Dan Callahan Adam Ellison |
Starring | Drake Bell Kevin Covais Andrew Caldwell Haley Bennett Ryan Pinkston |
Music by | Transcenders |
Cinematography | Dan Stoloff |
Edited by | David Codron |
Production company | |
Distributed by | MGM Distribution Co. |
Release date |
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Running time | 94 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $7 million |
Box office | $6,265,483[2] |
Plot
After Kevin (Drake Bell), a high school senior, gets dumped by his girlfriend Gina (Alona Tal) for being too boring, he does not want to go to the freshman orientation weekend at Fieldmont University, where they had planned to go together. But his best friends Carter (Andrew Caldwell) and Morris (Kevin Covais) convince him that the weekend away will help get his mind off her and hearing stories from their friend Fletcher (Ryan Pinkston) who told them about his college weekend visiting his brother and got laid by three college chicks at once. That convinced Kevin to go to Fieldmont for the freshmen orientation to prove to his ex-girlfriend that he can be fun too and instead of boring. Once they are there, one of the rowdiest fraternities and sororities on campus pretends to recruit them as pledges in return for granting them access to the college party scene. Though forced to put up with the disgusting antics of fraternity brothers Teague (Nick Zano), Bearcat (Gary Owen), and Cooper (Zach Cregger), the guys meet sorority girls Kendall (Haley Bennett), Heather (Camille Mana), and Amy (Nathalie Walker), and sparks fly. But once Teague feels threatened by Kevin's new relationship with Kendall who once dated Teague, he takes the pre-frosh humiliation to a greater level and make their lives miserable and start bullying them out of their college. They have no choice, forcing the guys to decide to fight back and payback for ruining their weekend and ruining Morris college scholarship here and Kevin's chance go to school here. During the climax, Teague is arrested, Bearcat is superglued to a toilet, and Cooper is ducktaped to a statue naked. In the end back at their high school, Gina, who saw a video sent to her by Kevin having fun at a party at Fieldmont, asks to get back together with her, but he refuses.
Cast
- Drake Bell as Kevin Brewer
- Kevin Covais as Morris Hooper
- Andrew Caldwell as Carter Scott
- Haley Bennett as Kendall Hartley
- Nick Zano as Teague
- Gary Owen as Brian 'Bearcat' Miller
- Zach Cregger as Cooper Montague
- Camille Mana as Heather Gellar
- Nathalie Walker as Amy Steward
- Alona Tal as Gina Hedlund
- Ryan Pinkston as Fletcher
- Reggie Martinez as Goose
- Verne Troyer as himself
- Valentina Vaughn as herself (Penthouse Pet)
- Heather Vandeven as herself (Penthouse Pet)
- Andree Moss as Ashley
- Carolyn Moss as Riley
- Wendy Talley as Kevin's Mom
- Brandi Coleman as College Girl #1
- Jessica Heap as College Girl #2
- Todd Voltz as Nitrous Guy
- Melissa Lingafelt as Junior Girl
- Brandy Blake as Girl #1
- Ava Santana as Girl #2
- Stephanie Honore as Gina’s Friend
- Josh Tenk as himself
- Tracy Mulholland as Mean Sorority Sister
Production
Many of the scenes of the actors at university are filmed on the campus of Tulane University in New Orleans and Grace King High School in Metairie on January 2007.
Release
Reception
College was heavily panned by critics. Review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes holds the film at a 5% rating, based on 43 reviews, with an average rating of 2.47/10. The site's consensus reads: "A pale imitation of the raunchy frat comedies of old, College aims low and misses."[3] On Metacritic, the film holds a score of 15 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "overwhelming dislike".[4]
Gary Goldstein of the Los Angeles Times criticized the "grab-bag script" for emphasizing vulgar humor and bad taste over "wit, charm and originality", calling it "a tedious, by-the-numbers raunch-fest that exists strictly because it can."[5] Marc Savlov of The Austin Chronicle found the film "so persistently loud and annoying that it single-handedly makes the case for drugging yourself with a roofie, Nembutal, and GHB cocktail (add bitters to taste) prior to entering the theatre."[6] Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman rated the movie with a "C−" grade, saying "Friendly yet toothless, College musters little energy even as anarchic-party-movie nostalgia."[7] Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club gave it a "D−" rating, saying "[I]t's a joyless misfire determined to deliver the time-tested staples of the college comedy in the most perfunctory, least satisfying manner imaginable."[8]
Box office
The film was released on August 29, 2008 in 2,123 theaters. It made US$2.6 million over the Labor Day weekend. The film has grossed an estimated $4.7 million in the U.S. and Canada and $1.6 million in other territories for a total gross of $6.3 million worldwide.[9]
DVD release
The film was released on Region 1 DVD on January 27, 2009. The DVD includes both the Theatrical and Unrated versions of the film as well as a Gag Reel.[10]
References
- College, ComingSoon.net Film Database.
- "College (2008)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved September 8, 2014.
- "College (2008)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved March 4, 2013.
- "College". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
- Goldstein, Gary (September 1, 2008). "Derivative 'College' flunks comedy test". Los Angeles Times. Nant Capital. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
- Savlov, Marc (September 5, 2008). "College - Movie Review". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
- Gleiberman, Owen (September 10, 2008). "College". Entertainment Weekly. Time Inc. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
- Rabin, Nathan (August 30, 2008). "College". The A.V. Club. The Onion. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
- "College (2008)". The Numbers. Retrieved February 13, 2009.
- "College (2008)". Amazon.com. Retrieved January 18, 2011.