Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum play bumbling cops Schmidt and Jenko who go undercover and back to high school in "21 Jump Street."
The film is a spinoff of the Fox TV show of the late '80s and early '90s, helping to launch the career of a young Johnny Depp. This fresh rewrite is a pleasant surprise. Our duo, under the supervision of their police captain (played by Ice Cube), investigates a new illegal drug at the local high school. They are obviously too old to be in high school, and, it doesn't matter, it's all a part of the gag.
The premise of the movie is preposterous, and that is the charm of the film. There are plenty of car-chase scenes, explosions and laughs to occupy your time. The chemistry between the leads is evident, and the payoff for you, the moviegoer, is worth it.
Jonah Hill, who also helped write the film, is perfectly typecast as the socially awkward outsider. Channing Tatum is the biggest surprise as a comedic actor. Both do a fine job here as the flick-o-meter gives "21 Jump Street" a four out of five. There are plenty of laughs here, and it was a lot better than what I expected. Let's face it, the original series was kind of a throwaway show to begin with.
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