Drillbit Taylor

Mar 30 2008 by Lesley Oldfield, Sunday Sun

IF you ever encountered a bully at school, you’ll know where Drillbit Taylor is coming from.

Three threatened youngsters manage to hire their own bodyguard in the shape of Owen Wilson . . . who is, unfortunately, not all he seems.

Steven Brill’s comedy sees delusional Taylor declaring himself a downtrodden soldier of fortune who protected “three vice presidents, Bobby Brown and Sylvester Stallone.”

On their first day at high school, best friends Ryan and Wade lend a helping hand to bullied loner Emmit by saving him from psychotic Filkins and his henchman Ronnie.

Then the thugs turn their attention to Ryan and Wade as well, making all three boys’ lives a misery. Refusing to spend the best years of their lives in perpetual fear, the boys hire Drillbit.

He infiltrates the school by posing as a supply teacher and wins the heart of staffroom lovely Lisa, played by Leslie Mann.

However, Drillbit soon realises that Filkins and Ronnie are a serious threat and the only way to save his pint-sized proteges is to become the hard man he pretends to be.

Drillbit Taylor is a blood brother to co-screenwriter Seth Rogen’s previous film Superbad, which drew its humour from the camaraderie between two sexually frustrated teenagers.

This comedy is pitched younger, touching briefly upon affairs of the heart and the loins in the most innocent way when shy, gangly Wade tries to pluck up the courage to ask out classmate Brooke.

“What if she says no?” asks Ryan.

“My life sucks so badly that if she says no, I won’t have far to fall,” concludes his pal sadly.

Rapport between the leads fizzes with energy, galvanised by quick-fire dialogue and some amusing interludes, such as when Ryan and Wade try to practise Drillbit’s self-defence techniques by punching one another.

Dorfman’s deranged hanger-on is a nice addition to the mix, while Frost and Peck glower with enough sinister intent to convince us they could have an entire school cowering in submission.

Wilson plays to his strengths, grinning impishly in romantic scenes with Mann and stripping off completely for a roadside shower that would cause a multi- vehicle pile-up in any other film.

Rogen and Kristofer Brown’s screenplay runs out of ideas and hastily contrives a final showdown that asserts the best way to defeat a bully is to smack him even harder.

Rating 3 out of 5

DRILLBIT TAYLOR

DIRECTOR: Steven Brill. CAST: Owen Wilson, Troy Gentile, Nate Hartley, David Dorfman, Alex Frost, Josh Peck, Leslie Mann, Valerie Tian. RATING: 12A