Old School (film)
Encyclopedia
Old School is a 2003 American comedy film
released by DreamWorks SKG and directed by Todd Phillips
, director of the documentary Frat House
. The story was written by Court Crandall, and the film was written by Phillips and Scot Armstrong
. The film stars Luke Wilson
, Vince Vaughn
, and Will Ferrell
as three thirty-somethings who seek to re-live their college days by starting a fraternity
, and the tribulations they encounter in doing so.
) comes back from a business trip early and is shocked to find out that Heidi (Juliette Lewis
), his girlfriend, takes part in orgies with a variety of people. She claims it is purely sexual; nevertheless, Mitch does not want to continue the relationship. Mitch encounters his high school crush, Nicole (Ellen Pompeo
), at his friend Frank’s (Will Ferrell
) wedding party. He is drunk and does not make a good impression, accidentally spilling hot coffee on her and then trying to drink it off of her dress. After breaking up with his girlfriend, Mitch goes house-hunting. He finds a house located near the campus of his fictional alma mater
, Harrison University.
Mitch’s other best friend Bernard (Vince Vaughn
), who owns a chain of electronic stores named "Speaker City", throws a party at Mitch's house and hires Snoop Dogg
to play so Mitch can get his mind off his ex-girlfriend. The party, dubbed "Mitch-A-Palooza," is a huge success and puts Mitch and his friends at the top of the college social scene, causing the former college friends to revert back to their frat-boy days. Frank, who had a reputation as the heavy drinking, hard partying "Frank the Tank" back in college, has his wife under the impression that he's matured and left that part of his life behind. However, he gets drunk at the party and goes streaking
through the neighborhood and is found by his new wife and her friends, This puts a strain on their marriage.
The next morning, Mitch wakes up with Darcie (Elisha Cuthbert
) and at first he is a bit concerned but she assures him it was simply casual sex. In the aftermath of the party, the trio meet Dean Pritchard (Jeremy Piven
). The Dean is a childhood acquaintance of the three men, but since he was the butt of most of their pranks, his actions throughout the film are rooted in vindictiveness. Pritchard happily informs them that the house is specifically designated for social services and community housing. Therefore, Mitch, Frank, and Bernard must either move out or meet the Dean's criteria in order to keep Mitch's house. For this reason, it is Bernard's idea to start a fraternity that is open to anyone. Although Mitch is initially reluctant to accept the notion of turning his house into a fraternity, he is essentially obliged to agree with the idea. Mitch gets dubbed "the Godfather". He still tries to keep his work life and fraternity life apart. Regardless, he is approached by countless people even at work who want to become members of his fraternity. The fraternity is an outlet for the stress and boredom that is associated with the monotonous nine-to-five lifestyle for many members. Mitch, while in a meeting with his boss, Mr. Goldberg, is visited by Darcie and awkwardly discovers she is his boss' daughter, who happens to be graduating from high school
. This stuns Mitch, who awkwardly shakes her hand. To make matters more humiliating, word has already leaked out around the office about Mitch hooking up with Darcie at the party, which he denies ever happened in order to protect his reputation.
All does not go well, one of the fraternity members, an elderly man known only as "Blue" dies during his birthday celebration. Frank's wife asks for a divorce at Blue's funeral, forcing a heartbroken Frank to live with Mitch in the fraternity. Mitch invites Nicole and her daughter to a birthday party for Bernard's son. However, she shows up with a date, Mark (Craig Kilborn
). Mitch later accidentally catches Mark making out with one of the birthday hostesses in the bathroom but does not tell Nicole. To cover himself, Mark tells Nicole that he caught Mitch doing the deed. This along with Mitch's secretiveness regarding the fraternity strains his relationship with Nicole, especially after asking her out for coffee and having the chef refuse his money and puts his meal on the house in order to show his support for the fraternity. Nicole becomes even more suspicious when the cook calls him "The Godfather" and to make things even more awkward for Mitch, Darcie and her friend walk by and say hello to Mitch, making Nicole think he is a pervert after they reveal they have to go to a prom committee meeting for their high school, leaving Nicole to walk away disgusted. The main obstacle is still Dean Pritchard, and when he claims the group violated an assortment of university policies, the fraternity house is boarded up. He also claims that the students who participated in the non-sanctioned fraternity are subject to expulsion. Nonetheless, Mitch finds out that the group has the right to bypass this legality by completing a series of activities that range from academics and athletics to community service, debate and school spirit. The men are able to complete all of the activities successfully but since the deceased member of the fraternity (Blue) was still on their roster, the group’s averages were brought down to 58%. Consequently, Dean Pritchard tells them the university’s decision stands.
The Student Council President Megan Huang was bribed by the Dean to revoke the fraternity's charter. Frank is able to obtain a tape that reveals the Dean bribing Megan with admission to Columbia Law School
(a promise the Dean happily broke when she confronted him after the school rejects her) since she is head of the student board that approved of the fraternity's campus status. Accordingly, the Dean’s credibility is destroyed. The front of the newspaper the next day claims that the Dean was fired after a bribery scandal. The fraternity’s charter is reinstated and the fraternity’s old house is replaced with Dean Pritchard’s house. Nicole visits Mitch at the old fraternity house to mend their relationship, and it is implied that they get together. Despite Bernard and Mitch withdrawing from the fraternity, Frank maintains his ties and persists with his leadership in the organization.
Over the closing credits, Mark drives his car off of a bridge and coincidentally onto ex-Dean Pritchard who was fishing below, prompting the car to explode. As the smoke from the wreckage rises into the air, an image appears of Blue in heaven playing a piano and singing "Dust in the Wind". Next Frank is shown at the college radio station 88.6 playing a song and dedicating it to the "Godfather" (Mitch) thanking him for saving his life. Later at the supermarket Frank is approached by Heidi, inviting him to join her and some other friends the next night. Frank becomes euphoric and punches several boxes of supermarket cereal before kicking a random stranger's cart. Bernard now coaches his son`s soccer team
. Filming locations included Palisades High School, UCLA, USC
and Harvard University
. The film is considered a forerunner to the Frat Pack
since three of its stars are core members of that group.
The screenplay was written as a comedic answer to Fight Club
, and there are numerous parallels in the script.
reported that 60% of critics gave the film a positive review based on a sample of 160 reviews, with an average score of 5.6/10. At the website Metacritic
, which utilizes a normalized
rating system, the film earned a rating of 54/100 based on 32 reviews by mainstream critics.
which was on its second week at the top spot. Old School has had gross receipts of $75,585,093 in the U.S. and Canada and $11,470,256 in international markets for a total of $87,055,349 worldwide.
and Kokane
perform "Paper'd Up", sampling Eric B & Rakim's track "Paid in Full
". The soundtrack also included "Dust in the Wind
" by Kansas
, "Hungry Like the Wolf
", "Farmer in the Dell", "Gonna Make You Sweat", "Louie Louie
", "Chariots of Fire
", "Good Lovin' Gone Bad", "Master of Puppets
" by Metallica
, "Playground in My Mind" by Clint Holmes
and "The Sounds of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel. The main song in this movie is "Here I Go Again
" by Whitesnake
, which is played when Will Ferrell's character is fixing his car and in the closing credits. Also, The Dan Band
sings one of the famous songs of Bonnie Tyler
, "Total Eclipse of the Heart
", and Styx's
"Lady".
to Old School was written by Scot Armstrong but was turned down by original stars, Will Ferrell
and Vince Vaughn
. The story concerned the aging fraternity going to Spring Break. While promoting Semi-Pro
in 2008, Ferrell had this to say about the defunct project. “I read [the script]. Some super funny set pieces, but I don’t know. I think Vince [Vaughn] had the same reaction. We’re just kind of doing the same thing again. It was like us going to Spring Break, but we’ve got to find this guy who’s the head of a fraternity. Once again, funny things but it’s just us once again back in a fraternity setting. It just felt like it was repeating. But watch, I’m over thinking it.”
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
released by DreamWorks SKG and directed by Todd Phillips
Todd Phillips
Todd Phillips is an American screenwriter and film director. He is best known for directing the comedy films Road Trip, Old School, The Hangover, and Due Date.-Early life:...
, director of the documentary Frat House
Frat House
Frat House is a documentary film exploring the darker side of fraternity life. The film was directed by Todd Phillips and Andrew Gurland, and largely filmed at Allentown, Pennsylvania's Muhlenberg College; the majority of the film was shot in the house of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, which has...
. The story was written by Court Crandall, and the film was written by Phillips and Scot Armstrong
Scot Armstrong
Scot Armstrong is an American screenwriter. He best known for his Comedy films with director Todd Phillips in the films Road Trip, Old School, Starsky & Hutch, School for Scoundrels, and the sequel film The Hangover: Part II. He also wrote the script for Semi-Pro and The Heartbreak Kid.-...
. The film stars Luke Wilson
Luke Wilson
Luke Cunningham Wilson is an American film actor known for his roles in Old School, Bottle Rocket, The Royal Tenenbaums, Legally Blonde, Idiocracy and Death at a Funeral.-Early life:...
, Vince Vaughn
Vince Vaughn
Vincent Anthony "Vince" Vaughn is an American film actor, screenwriter, producer and comedian. He began acting in the late 1980s, appearing in minor television roles before attaining wider recognition with the 1996 movie Swingers...
, and Will Ferrell
Will Ferrell
John William "Will" Ferrell is an American comedian, impressionist, actor, and writer. Ferrell first established himself in the late 1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and has subsequently starred in the comedy films Old School, Elf, Anchorman, Talladega...
as three thirty-somethings who seek to re-live their college days by starting a fraternity
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
, and the tribulations they encounter in doing so.
Plot
Attorney Mitch Martin (Luke WilsonLuke Wilson
Luke Cunningham Wilson is an American film actor known for his roles in Old School, Bottle Rocket, The Royal Tenenbaums, Legally Blonde, Idiocracy and Death at a Funeral.-Early life:...
) comes back from a business trip early and is shocked to find out that Heidi (Juliette Lewis
Juliette Lewis
Juliette Lewis is an American actress and musician. She gained international fame for her role in the 1991 thriller Cape Fear for which she was nominated for both an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress...
), his girlfriend, takes part in orgies with a variety of people. She claims it is purely sexual; nevertheless, Mitch does not want to continue the relationship. Mitch encounters his high school crush, Nicole (Ellen Pompeo
Ellen Pompeo
Ellen Kathleen Pompeo is an American actress, known for playing the title role of Meredith Grey on the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy.-Early life:...
), at his friend Frank’s (Will Ferrell
Will Ferrell
John William "Will" Ferrell is an American comedian, impressionist, actor, and writer. Ferrell first established himself in the late 1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and has subsequently starred in the comedy films Old School, Elf, Anchorman, Talladega...
) wedding party. He is drunk and does not make a good impression, accidentally spilling hot coffee on her and then trying to drink it off of her dress. After breaking up with his girlfriend, Mitch goes house-hunting. He finds a house located near the campus of his fictional alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, Harrison University.
Mitch’s other best friend Bernard (Vince Vaughn
Vince Vaughn
Vincent Anthony "Vince" Vaughn is an American film actor, screenwriter, producer and comedian. He began acting in the late 1980s, appearing in minor television roles before attaining wider recognition with the 1996 movie Swingers...
), who owns a chain of electronic stores named "Speaker City", throws a party at Mitch's house and hires Snoop Dogg
Snoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
to play so Mitch can get his mind off his ex-girlfriend. The party, dubbed "Mitch-A-Palooza," is a huge success and puts Mitch and his friends at the top of the college social scene, causing the former college friends to revert back to their frat-boy days. Frank, who had a reputation as the heavy drinking, hard partying "Frank the Tank" back in college, has his wife under the impression that he's matured and left that part of his life behind. However, he gets drunk at the party and goes streaking
Streaking
Streaking is the act of running nude through a public place.-History:On 5 July 1799, a Friday evening at 7 o'clock, a naked man was arrested at the Mansion House, London, and sent to the Poultry Compter...
through the neighborhood and is found by his new wife and her friends, This puts a strain on their marriage.
The next morning, Mitch wakes up with Darcie (Elisha Cuthbert
Elisha Cuthbert
Elisha Ann Cuthbert is a Canadian film and television actress. Cuthbert is known as the former co-host of the Canadian children's television series Popular Mechanics for Kids. In 1998, she had her first film role in Airspeed. She followed this in 2003 with a role in Old School...
) and at first he is a bit concerned but she assures him it was simply casual sex. In the aftermath of the party, the trio meet Dean Pritchard (Jeremy Piven
Jeremy Piven
Jeremy Samuel Piven is an American film producer and actor best known for his role as Ari Gold in the television series Entourage for which he has won three Emmy Awards as well as several other nominations for Best Supporting Actor....
). The Dean is a childhood acquaintance of the three men, but since he was the butt of most of their pranks, his actions throughout the film are rooted in vindictiveness. Pritchard happily informs them that the house is specifically designated for social services and community housing. Therefore, Mitch, Frank, and Bernard must either move out or meet the Dean's criteria in order to keep Mitch's house. For this reason, it is Bernard's idea to start a fraternity that is open to anyone. Although Mitch is initially reluctant to accept the notion of turning his house into a fraternity, he is essentially obliged to agree with the idea. Mitch gets dubbed "the Godfather". He still tries to keep his work life and fraternity life apart. Regardless, he is approached by countless people even at work who want to become members of his fraternity. The fraternity is an outlet for the stress and boredom that is associated with the monotonous nine-to-five lifestyle for many members. Mitch, while in a meeting with his boss, Mr. Goldberg, is visited by Darcie and awkwardly discovers she is his boss' daughter, who happens to be graduating from high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. This stuns Mitch, who awkwardly shakes her hand. To make matters more humiliating, word has already leaked out around the office about Mitch hooking up with Darcie at the party, which he denies ever happened in order to protect his reputation.
All does not go well, one of the fraternity members, an elderly man known only as "Blue" dies during his birthday celebration. Frank's wife asks for a divorce at Blue's funeral, forcing a heartbroken Frank to live with Mitch in the fraternity. Mitch invites Nicole and her daughter to a birthday party for Bernard's son. However, she shows up with a date, Mark (Craig Kilborn
Craig Kilborn
Craig Kilborn is an American actor and talk show host. He was the original host of The Daily Show, a former anchor on ESPN's SportsCenter, and Tom Snyder's successor on CBS' The Late Late Show. On June 28, 2010, he launched The Kilborn File after a six-year absence from television...
). Mitch later accidentally catches Mark making out with one of the birthday hostesses in the bathroom but does not tell Nicole. To cover himself, Mark tells Nicole that he caught Mitch doing the deed. This along with Mitch's secretiveness regarding the fraternity strains his relationship with Nicole, especially after asking her out for coffee and having the chef refuse his money and puts his meal on the house in order to show his support for the fraternity. Nicole becomes even more suspicious when the cook calls him "The Godfather" and to make things even more awkward for Mitch, Darcie and her friend walk by and say hello to Mitch, making Nicole think he is a pervert after they reveal they have to go to a prom committee meeting for their high school, leaving Nicole to walk away disgusted. The main obstacle is still Dean Pritchard, and when he claims the group violated an assortment of university policies, the fraternity house is boarded up. He also claims that the students who participated in the non-sanctioned fraternity are subject to expulsion. Nonetheless, Mitch finds out that the group has the right to bypass this legality by completing a series of activities that range from academics and athletics to community service, debate and school spirit. The men are able to complete all of the activities successfully but since the deceased member of the fraternity (Blue) was still on their roster, the group’s averages were brought down to 58%. Consequently, Dean Pritchard tells them the university’s decision stands.
The Student Council President Megan Huang was bribed by the Dean to revoke the fraternity's charter. Frank is able to obtain a tape that reveals the Dean bribing Megan with admission to Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
(a promise the Dean happily broke when she confronted him after the school rejects her) since she is head of the student board that approved of the fraternity's campus status. Accordingly, the Dean’s credibility is destroyed. The front of the newspaper the next day claims that the Dean was fired after a bribery scandal. The fraternity’s charter is reinstated and the fraternity’s old house is replaced with Dean Pritchard’s house. Nicole visits Mitch at the old fraternity house to mend their relationship, and it is implied that they get together. Despite Bernard and Mitch withdrawing from the fraternity, Frank maintains his ties and persists with his leadership in the organization.
Over the closing credits, Mark drives his car off of a bridge and coincidentally onto ex-Dean Pritchard who was fishing below, prompting the car to explode. As the smoke from the wreckage rises into the air, an image appears of Blue in heaven playing a piano and singing "Dust in the Wind". Next Frank is shown at the college radio station 88.6 playing a song and dedicating it to the "Godfather" (Mitch) thanking him for saving his life. Later at the supermarket Frank is approached by Heidi, inviting him to join her and some other friends the next night. Frank becomes euphoric and punches several boxes of supermarket cereal before kicking a random stranger's cart. Bernard now coaches his son`s soccer team
Cast
- Luke WilsonLuke WilsonLuke Cunningham Wilson is an American film actor known for his roles in Old School, Bottle Rocket, The Royal Tenenbaums, Legally Blonde, Idiocracy and Death at a Funeral.-Early life:...
as Mitch "The Godfather" Martin - Will FerrellWill FerrellJohn William "Will" Ferrell is an American comedian, impressionist, actor, and writer. Ferrell first established himself in the late 1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and has subsequently starred in the comedy films Old School, Elf, Anchorman, Talladega...
as Frank "The Tank" Ricard - Vince VaughnVince VaughnVincent Anthony "Vince" Vaughn is an American film actor, screenwriter, producer and comedian. He began acting in the late 1980s, appearing in minor television roles before attaining wider recognition with the 1996 movie Swingers...
as Bernard "Beanie" Campbell - Jeremy PivenJeremy PivenJeremy Samuel Piven is an American film producer and actor best known for his role as Ari Gold in the television series Entourage for which he has won three Emmy Awards as well as several other nominations for Best Supporting Actor....
as Dean Gordon "Cheese" Pritchard - Ellen PompeoEllen PompeoEllen Kathleen Pompeo is an American actress, known for playing the title role of Meredith Grey on the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy.-Early life:...
as Nicole - Juliette LewisJuliette LewisJuliette Lewis is an American actress and musician. She gained international fame for her role in the 1991 thriller Cape Fear for which she was nominated for both an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress...
as Heidi - Leah ReminiLeah ReminiLeah Marie Remini is an American actress and model. She is best known for her role as Carrie Heffernan on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens and as Stacey Carosi on the NBC sitcom Saved by the Bell...
as Lara Campbell - Perrey ReevesPerrey ReevesPerrey Reeves is an American film and television actress best known for her role on HBO's Entourage.- Life and career :...
as Marissa Jones - Craig KilbornCraig KilbornCraig Kilborn is an American actor and talk show host. He was the original host of The Daily Show, a former anchor on ESPN's SportsCenter, and Tom Snyder's successor on CBS' The Late Late Show. On June 28, 2010, he launched The Kilborn File after a six-year absence from television...
as Mark - Sara TanakaSara TanakaSara Tanaka is an American film actress. She is best known for her roles in Rushmore, Old School, and Race The Sun....
as Megan Huang - Simon HelbergSimon HelbergSimon Maxwell Helberg is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Howard Wolowitz in the sitcom The Big Bang Theory. In its fourth season, he also appeared on the sketch comedy series MADtv for five episodes...
as Jerry - Seann William ScottSeann William ScottSeann William Scott is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for playing Steve Stifler in the American Pie film series...
as Peppers - Elisha CuthbertElisha CuthbertElisha Ann Cuthbert is a Canadian film and television actress. Cuthbert is known as the former co-host of the Canadian children's television series Popular Mechanics for Kids. In 1998, she had her first film role in Airspeed. She followed this in 2003 with a role in Old School...
as Darcie Goldberg - Patrick CranshawPatrick CranshawJoseph Patrick Cranshaw was an American film and television actor known for his distinctive look and deadpan humor. He is best known for one of his last roles, that of Joseph "Blue" Pulaski, a fraternity brother in the 2003 hit comedy Old School...
as Joseph "Blue" Pulaski - Rick GonzalezRick GonzalezRick Gonzalez is an American actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Timo Cruz in the motion picture Coach Carter, and as Ben Gonzalez on the CW supernatural drama television series Reaper.-Early life:...
as Spanish - Jerod MixonJerod MixonJerod Mixon is an American actor. Mixon is perhaps best known for his role portraying the fictional character Weensie in Old School, the distinctively and massively obese undergraduate university student and fraternity pledge enrolled at the fictional Harrison University...
as Weensie - Matt Walsh as Walsh
- Artie LangeArtie LangeArthur Steven "Artie" Lange, Jr. is an American actor, comedian and radio personality best known for his tenures with the The Howard Stern Show and the comedy sketch series MADtv....
as Booker - Robert CorddryRob CorddryRobert William "Rob" Corddry is an American actor and comedian. He is known for his work as a former correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and for his starring role in the comedy film Hot Tub Time Machine...
as Warren - Todd PhillipsTodd PhillipsTodd Phillips is an American screenwriter and film director. He is best known for directing the comedy films Road Trip, Old School, The Hangover, and Due Date.-Early life:...
as Gang Bang Member - Bryan CallenBryan CallenBryan Christopher Callen is an American actor. Callen is notable for being one of the original cast of comedians on the sketch comedy series MADtv.-Early life:...
as Avi, the Waiter - Harve PresnellHarve PresnellHarve Presnell was an American actor and singer. He began his career in the mid 1950s as a classical baritone, singing with orchestras and opera companies throughout the United States...
as Mr. Springbrook - Snoop DoggSnoop DoggCalvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
as himself - James CarvilleJames CarvilleChester James Carville, Jr. is an American political consultant, commentator, educator, actor, attorney, media personality, and prominent liberal pundit. Carville gained national attention for his work as the lead strategist of the successful presidential campaign of then-Arkansas governor Bill...
as himself - Warren GWarren GWarren G , is an American West Coast rapper and hip hop producer. He is also Dr. Dre's half-brother.His biggest hit is the song "Regulate" with Nate Dogg released in 1994...
as himself - Terry O'QuinnTerry O'QuinnTerry O'Quinn is an American actor, most famous for playing John Locke on the TV series Lost. He made his debut in a 1980 television movie called F.D.R.: The Last Year. Since then, O'Quinn has had minor supporting roles in films and TV movies such as Young Guns, All the Right Moves, Silver Bullet,...
(uncredited) as Goldberg - Andy DickAndy DickAndrew R. "Andy" Dick is an American comedian, actor, musician and television/film producer. His first regular television role was on the short-lived but highly influential Ben Stiller Show. In the mid-1990s, he had a long-running stint on NBC's NewsRadio...
(uncredited) as Barry, Oral Sex Instructor
Production
The film is set in La Crescenta, CaliforniaLa Crescenta-Montrose, California
La Crescenta-Montrose is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Los Angeles County, California, encompassing those parts of the Crescenta Valley not in the cities of Glendale or La Cañada Flintridge. However, both the unincorporated area and the portion of incorporated Glendale...
. Filming locations included Palisades High School, UCLA, USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
and Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. The film is considered a forerunner to the Frat Pack
Frat Pack
The "Frat Pack" is a nickname given to a group of male Hollywood comedy actors who have appeared together in many of the highest grossing comedy movies since the late 1990s...
since three of its stars are core members of that group.
The screenplay was written as a comedic answer to Fight Club
Fight Club (film)
Fight Club is a 1999 American film based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk. The film was directed by David Fincher and stars Edward Norton, Brad Pitt and Helena Bonham Carter. Norton plays the unnamed protagonist, an "everyman" who is discontented with his white-collar job...
, and there are numerous parallels in the script.
Critical reception
The review aggregator website Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
reported that 60% of critics gave the film a positive review based on a sample of 160 reviews, with an average score of 5.6/10. At the website Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, which utilizes a normalized
Standard score
In statistics, a standard score indicates how many standard deviations an observation or datum is above or below the mean. It is a dimensionless quantity derived by subtracting the population mean from an individual raw score and then dividing the difference by the population standard deviation...
rating system, the film earned a rating of 54/100 based on 32 reviews by mainstream critics.
Box office
The film grossed $17,453,216 in 2,689 theaters in its first opening weekend at the U.S. Box office, opening at #2 behind DaredevilDaredevil (film)
Daredevil is a 2003 American superhero film written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson. Based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, the film stars Ben Affleck as Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer who fights for justice in the courtroom and out of the courtroom as the masked vigilante Daredevil...
which was on its second week at the top spot. Old School has had gross receipts of $75,585,093 in the U.S. and Canada and $11,470,256 in international markets for a total of $87,055,349 worldwide.
Awards
- In 2003, Artios Awards nominated Old School for best casting for feature film.
- In 2003, The MTV Movie Award Nominated Old School for Best Comedic Performance (for Will Ferrell, losing to Jack BlackJack BlackJack Black , is an American actor and musician, notably of Tenacious D.Jack Black may also refer to:* Jack Black , late 19th - early 20th Century author and hobo* Jack Black , drummer for 1970s UK punk band The Boys...
for School of RockSchool of RockSchool of Rock, also called The School of Rock, is a 2003 American musical comedy film directed by Richard Linklater, written by Mike White, and starring Jack Black...
) and Best On-Screen Team. - In 2004, Taurus Award nominated Old School for Best Fire Stunt.
Soundtrack
At the Mitch-a-palooza party, Snoop DoggSnoop Dogg
Calvin Cordozar Broadus, Jr. , better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Snoop is best known as a rapper in the West Coast hip hop scene, and for being one of Dr. Dre's most notable protégés. Snoop Dogg was a Crip gang member while in high school...
and Kokane
Kokane
Kokane, also known as Jerry B. Long, Jr. , is a rapper from Pomona, California best known for his co-appearances on Dr. Dre's album 2001 and the work on G-funk album Funk Upon A Rhyme and his backup work with Snoop Dogg in Tha Last Meal album, who signed him to Dogghouse Records, bringing a renewed...
perform "Paper'd Up", sampling Eric B & Rakim's track "Paid in Full
Paid in Full (album)
Paid in Full is the debut album of American hip hop duo Eric B. & Rakim, released July 7, 1987, on the Island-subsidiary label 4th & B'way Records. The duo recorded the album at hip hop producer Marley Marl's home studio and Power Play Studios in New York City, following Rakim's response to Eric...
". The soundtrack also included "Dust in the Wind
Dust in the Wind
"Dust in the Wind" is a song by American progressive rock band Kansas, first released on their 1977 album Point of Know Return.The song peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 the week of April 22, 1978, making it Kansas' only top ten Billboard Hot 100 charting single...
" by Kansas
Kansas (band)
Kansas is an American rock band that became popular in the 1970s initially on Album-Oriented Rock charts, and later with hit singles such as "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind"...
, "Hungry Like the Wolf
Hungry Like the Wolf
"Hungry Like the Wolf" is a song by the British New Wave band Duran Duran. Written by the band members, the song was produced by Colin Thurston for the group's second studio album Rio . The song was released in May 1982 as the band's fifth single in the United Kingdom...
", "Farmer in the Dell", "Gonna Make You Sweat", "Louie Louie
Louie Louie
"Louie Louie" is an American rock 'n' roll song written by Richard Berry in 1955. It has become a standard in pop and rock, with hundreds of versions recorded by different artists...
", "Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British film. It tells the fact-based story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice....
", "Good Lovin' Gone Bad", "Master of Puppets
Master of Puppets
-Personnel:Metallica* James Hetfield – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar on track 1, first solo on tracks 2 and 7* Cliff Burton – bass, backing vocals* Lars Ulrich – drums* Kirk Hammett – lead guitarProduction...
" by Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, "Playground in My Mind" by Clint Holmes
Clint Holmes
Clint Holmes , is a singer-songwriter and Las Vegas entertainer. He was born in Bournemouth, Hampshire , England, the son of an African-American jazz musician and a white English opera singer...
and "The Sounds of Silence" by Simon & Garfunkel. The main song in this movie is "Here I Go Again
Here I Go Again
"Here I Go Again" is a #1 hit song recorded by Whitesnake. Originally released on their 1982 album, Saints & Sinners, the song was re-recorded for their eponymous 1987 album Whitesnake. The song was re-recorded yet another time that year in a new "radio-mix" version...
" by Whitesnake
Whitesnake
Whitesnake are an English rock band, founded in 1978 by David Coverdale after his departure from his previous band, Deep Purple. The band's early material has been compared by critics to Deep Purple, but by the mid 1980s they had moved to a more commercial hard rock style...
, which is played when Will Ferrell's character is fixing his car and in the closing credits. Also, The Dan Band
The Dan Band
The Dan Band is a comedy band from Los Angeles, California, created by actor/comedian Dan Finnerty.The band is well known for its covers of originally female-performed pop songs, with added obscenities and swearing...
sings one of the famous songs of Bonnie Tyler
Bonnie Tyler
Bonnie Tyler is a Welsh singer, most notable for her hits in the 1970s and 1980s including "It's a Heartache", "Holding Out for a Hero" and "Total Eclipse of the Heart".-Early life:...
, "Total Eclipse of the Heart
Total Eclipse of the Heart
"Total Eclipse of the Heart" is a song written and produced by Jim Steinman and recorded by Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler for her fifth studio album, Faster Than the Speed of Night...
", and Styx's
Styx (band)
Styx is an American rock band that became famous for its albums from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Chicago band is known for melding the style of prog-rock with the power of hard rock guitar, strong ballads, and elements of American musical theater....
"Lady".
Sequel
In 2006, a sequelSequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
to Old School was written by Scot Armstrong but was turned down by original stars, Will Ferrell
Will Ferrell
John William "Will" Ferrell is an American comedian, impressionist, actor, and writer. Ferrell first established himself in the late 1990s as a cast member on the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live, and has subsequently starred in the comedy films Old School, Elf, Anchorman, Talladega...
and Vince Vaughn
Vince Vaughn
Vincent Anthony "Vince" Vaughn is an American film actor, screenwriter, producer and comedian. He began acting in the late 1980s, appearing in minor television roles before attaining wider recognition with the 1996 movie Swingers...
. The story concerned the aging fraternity going to Spring Break. While promoting Semi-Pro
Semi-Pro
Semi-Pro is a 2008 American sports screwball comedy film from New Line Cinema. The film was directed by Kent Alterman and stars Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, André Benjamin and Maura Tierney. The film was shot in Los Angeles near Dodger Stadium , in Detroit and in Flint, Michigan...
in 2008, Ferrell had this to say about the defunct project. “I read [the script]. Some super funny set pieces, but I don’t know. I think Vince [Vaughn] had the same reaction. We’re just kind of doing the same thing again. It was like us going to Spring Break, but we’ve got to find this guy who’s the head of a fraternity. Once again, funny things but it’s just us once again back in a fraternity setting. It just felt like it was repeating. But watch, I’m over thinking it.”