Old School

R

Released Feb 21, 2003

1 hr. 30 min.

Comedy

List

60%

167 Reviews

Tomatometer

86%

250,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

After discovering his girlfriend (Juliette Lewis) has been participating in group sex, attorney Mitch (Luke Wilson) feels his world come undone. He moves into a new place, which happens to be near a college campus, and tries to get his life back together. Two of his best friends, Frank (Will Ferrell) and Beanie (Vince Vaughn), start hanging out at Mitch's house, eventually turning the place into a wild party pad, much to the ire of the college's dean, Gordon "Cheese" Pritchard (Jeremy Piven).

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Critics Consensus

While not consistently funny, the movie does have its moments.

Read Critics Reviews

Isaiah R

Absolutely wonderful movie from the top to the bottom. Some may argue that it's nothing more than a prototypical raunchy film, but they took that template and layered it with a clever plot, several quotable lines, and terrific performances from Wilson, Ferrell, and Vaughn respectively. It's aged so well over the past 20 years, and I find myself busting out laughing at just about every twist and turn. Frank the Tank is one of my favorite cinematic characters ever, and he alone has so many one liners that I use frequently and hear out in public often as well. "You're my boy, Blue!", "Once it hits your lips it's so good.", "I found myself wondering what color her underpants might be." The list could go on and on. In addition, Jeremy Piven does a great job portraying the douchey, entitled dean of students and he makes it easy to root against him throughout the film. The plot is very unserious, but by no means is it bad. It navigates through several different storylines, and just about all of the scenes hold some kind of significance to the actual film itself. Through Frank's marriage and divorce, the rise and fall of Mitch, Beanie's formation of the fraternity, the love triangle around Nicole, and then obviously the main plot of Dean Pritchard's attempt to disband the fraternity. Above all else the film serves its purpose as a comedy film, and it makes viewers laugh throughout the entire screening. This movie is timeless, and relates to every man's dream of taking a step back and reliving the glory days for just a little while longer. I'm sure I'll watch this another thousand times over the course of my life.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/22/24

Full Review

alan g

Unfunny sex comedy. Crude, gratuitous nudity, insipid acting. Will Ferrill at a new low. Juliet Lewis sucks as usual.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

04/11/24

Full Review

Audience Member

Think of this as a kinder version of 'Animal House' with lots of partying, nudity, and even artists performing like snoop dogg. Each of these guys have to figure out where they stand being in their 30s. The movie is 90 minutes even, and some continuity glitches suggest heavy editing missing a few things. The plot doesn't really kick off until the last half hour. Some stuff is very dated and questionable no doubt but there's still genuine laughs. A college comedy in a sea of them that manages to be above average.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/22/24

Full Review

Justin I

Best Will Ferrell movie! Hands Down!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/21/24

Full Review

Glen M

very funny and that's what a comedy need to be

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/25/23

Full Review

Rob A

Yes it's a raunchy, screwball comedy - but it's also a seminal film, the father of perhaps a dozen or so movies that followed starring some combination of these actors (or at least their buddies). Vince Vaughn ("OK, we've got a question - from the one kid who probably won't get in..."), Will Ferrell ("Fill it up AGAIN!"), Luke Wilson (choking - "I'm sorry - I thought you said she was in high school??!") Jeremy Piven as the Dean and Snoop Dog as himself - they're all funny and you really should watch this movie, assuming you haven't already.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

10/24/23

Full Review

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Todd Phillips

Director

Luke Wilson

Mitch

Will Ferrell

Frank

Vince Vaughn

Beanie

Jeremy Piven

Gordon Pritchard

Ellen Pompeo

Nicole

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Old School: Official Clip - Earmuff It For Me

2:00

Old School: Official Clip - A Waitresses' Panties

2:04

Old School: Official Clip - The Morning After

1:34

Old School: Official Clip - Cheeeese!

1:27

Old School: Official Clip - The Cinder Block Test

2:07

Old School: Official Clip - That's the Way You Debate

1:56

Old School: Official Clip - Tranquilizer to the Jugular

2:12

Old School: Official Clip - A Wedding Toast

1:08

Old School: Official Clip - We're Going Streaking!

2:08

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Very politically incorrect; funny for many adults.

Rated: 3/5

Dec 26, 2010

Full Review

Time Out

Director Phillips confesses to frat membership in his youth, and even made a documentary on the subject. So why is this not funnier or more outrageous?

Jan 26, 2006

Full Review

Peter Travers

Rolling Stone

Only fitfully funny, except when Ferrell is onscreen -- then you won't stop laughing.

Rated: 2/4

Mar 7, 2005

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Each comedian's distinct personality and contrasting style of humor lends to a diverting onscreen partnership.

Rated: 7/10

Nov 7, 2020

Full Review

Felix Vasquez Jr.

Cinema Crazed

Flawed, clich, contrived, and poorly developed...

Jul 6, 2010

Full Review

AskMen.com Staff

AskMen.com

Mitch (Luke Wilson) has just been cheated on and moved into a nice new bachelor pad right near the local college. But when threatened with eviction by the dean of the college, Mitch's buddies Beanie (Vince Vaughn) and Frank (Will Ferrell) suggest that the

Rated: 79/100

Feb 17, 2010

Full Review

Read all reviews

Synopsis

After discovering his girlfriend (Juliette Lewis) has been participating in group sex, attorney Mitch (Luke Wilson) feels his world come undone. He moves into a new place, which happens to be near a college campus, and tries to get his life back together. Two of his best friends, Frank (Will Ferrell) and Beanie (Vince Vaughn), start hanging out at Mitch's house, eventually turning the place into a wild party pad, much to the ire of the college's dean, Gordon "Cheese" Pritchard (Jeremy Piven).

Director: Todd Phillips
Executive Producer: Tom Pollock, Ivan Reitman
Screenwriter: Scot Armstrong, Todd Phillips
Distributor: DreamWorks SKG
Production Co: DreamWorks Pictures, The Montecito Picture Company, Montecito Picture Company
Rating: R (Nudity|Language|Some Strong Sexual Content)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 21, 2003, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $74.6M
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital, Dolby SR, SDDS, Dolby Stereo, DTS, Surround, Dolby A
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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