It's a classic transformation story. Are you now or have you ever been a Norse God, Vampire, or Time Traveling Cyborg?

Another in what is a long line of body swap comedies, 17 Again is fun, frothy and full of warmth; just like all the other ones really! There's nothing new here, it's the same old format as a grown up Mike O'Donnell (Matthew Perry) rues how his life has grown to miserable proportions but magically gets to be a high-schooler again and grasp that second chance. Back in his 17 year old bod (Zac Efron looking like a young Rob Lowe), Mike oversees the trials and tribulations of his two kids who attend the same school, whilst also forming a "special" bond with his future wife Scarlet (Leslie Mann) who is going to divorce him! Cue much high-school pranks, perils and near misses and a few worthy messages in the narrative.

Tailored towards a certain demographic with the casting of Efron, who is very likable and a worthy lead here, the film thankfully doesn't lack for good performances elsewhere. Both Mann and Melora Hardin as the hot principal make their roles stand out, while Thomas Lennon as Mike's uber rich man child buddy steals the movie. It's rich in clichés of the formula and the predictability of outcome robs us of a surprise, but these are not actually irritants, for this is a very enjoyable movie. One where the teens hot for Zac can stare lovingly, and one where the adults can nod in knowing agreement at some plot dynamics. 7/10

Just watched it just so I can say I watched it. It turned out to be funny and liked the story similar to 13 going on 30.

**_A high school dramedy/body swap flick with heart_**

A dispirited 37 year-old man (Matthew Perry) is about to lose his wife and high school sweetheart. Through a "spirit-guide" (Brian Doyle-Murray) he is miraculously able to become, you guessed it, 17 again. His younger self is played by Zac Efron, who's actually the star of the movie. Leslie Mann plays his soon-to-be former wife while Thomas Lennon appears as his geeky best friend. Sterling Knight & Michelle Trachtenberg are on hand as his kids struggling through the teen years. Melora Hardin plays the attractive principal while Nicole Sullivan has a glorified cameo.

"17 Again" (2009) is magic from beginning to end, with few missteps. It's both a high school dramedy and a second chance fantasy. There are elements of films like "Back to the Future" (1986) and "Peggy Sue Got Married" (1986), but the uniqueness here is that the protagonist doesn't go back in time, but rather stays in the current day and appears to his family & friends as 17 years-old, even though he's really 37. With one exception, no one knows who he really is.

Efron, who was only 21 during filming, easily carries the film while Mann is one of the most winsome women to walk the Earth. Lennon's amusing character is akin to the Big Bang Theory guys. Best of all, the film has heart, effectively conveying the triumphs and tragedies of the high school experience in all its glory and awkwardness. I know it's clichéd, but "you'll laugh, you'll cry."

The movie runs 1 hour, 42 minutes, and was shot in Santa Monica (Hayden High School), Van Nuys & Los Angeles, California. The script was written by Jason Filardi.

GRADE: A-

_"I think our hands just made a baby."_

I enjoyed watching this film. I could be wrong about this, but this seems like a film that could be considered iconic, maybe even when it came out. It gives off that vibe.

The premise was interesting, something I've never seen before. I don't know how common it is, as there are LOADS of films out there. So, for all I know, it could be super common. _Before_ this film came out. But I have no idea. If this kind of premise is super common, I'd imagine that could've been a somewhat "negative" thing for some people. For me, it wasn't a problem. It was an exciting way to conduct the plot of the film.

As far as what stemmed from the premise, it paved the way for some memorable scenes/moments that added a lot to the film, and I appreciate that. I don't seem to have much of an opinion on whether the comedy was good or not, only that everything happening was _entertaining._

And the underlying serious, heartfelt nature behind the plot was good. While the goofiness of being _17 Again_ was great, entertaining, and all of that, I thought the meaningful purpose that those things revolved around, and came back to, was even better.

I will say this: the subplot with Ned and the Principal was a _tad bit_ problematic. The inappropriateness, the intrusions, and constant pursuit were probably problematic. I can imagine it stuck out to some people who didn't like it, even more so: since it succeeded. It's setting the wrong precedent. I get it: it's for the humor and not to be taken seriously. I don't know. I'm not a woman, so that could mean I'm adding 2 + 2 and getting 5.

Not only that, some slight [spoiler] incest actions [/spoiler] were going on as well. And, to be honest, that didn't stick out to me as much. Yes, it's super morally questionable, _especially_ because of the context. [spoiler] Siblings [/spoiler] wouldn't have been _as bad._ But she didn't know. As the audience, we had more context than she did. Still, because of [spoiler] the sexual nature, specifically, it was a bit gross. [/spoiler] In general, at the risk of setting off red flags, I don't think [spoiler] incest _between siblings_ is _that bad_, and certainly not the end of the world type thing. [/spoiler] But only as long as it's [spoiler] romantically (and maybe sexually, to a lesser extent) intimate _without having children._ [/spoiler] It's okay to be close. Beyond that is when it's _WAY too far_, in my red flag-y-times-infinity opinion.

Zac Efron gave a pretty good performance. He played his character well, and on the complete opposite side of things, in the courtroom scene, he played 'serious' well. I haven't seen him in anything else yet, but I've seen some people bring up how his performance in this film was one of his best or something along those lines. Based on that, I imagine the capability/ability is there, and his roles are the "problem."

The stand-out element in this entire film was probably the duo of Zac Efron and Leslie Mann. They had good chemistry and flowed super well together. Their scenes were the best parts of the film, and it's almost criminal that there were so few. There should be a second film where Mike somehow goes through the transformation again, and Scarlet goes along with it, shenanigans ensue; the chemistry between Zac and Leslie is better than ever. Or maybe the other way around: Scarlet goes through the transformation.

Anyway, this was an entertaining watch. It did lose some impact the second and third time; not much rewatchability. And I'd imagine as far as films like this are concerned, this one isn't even that high up; there are way better ones out there. But that doesn't mean this film sucked. It was entertaining enough. Now, as I'm writing this last sentence, then posting this review, I'm about to eat some pizza.