Plot: What’s it about?
Henry (Matt Bush) is about to graduate from high school and his future looks quite bright. He will be the class valedictorian and has his college scholarship all lined up, so life after high school looks good. His friend Breaux (Sean Marquette) offers to help him relax and take a break from all the pressure, with some potent weed. While Henry has never tried drugs before, he could use some relaxation, so he tokes up for the first time ever. His timing couldn’t have been worse however, as his school announces school wide drug tests will soon commence. Faced with losing his scholarship and being expelled, Henry agrees to a wild plan devised by Breaux that involves robbing the local drug kingpin. Once they’ve stolen a massive amount of weed from the dealer, they’ll use it in brownies and get the entire school high. So when drug tests are undertaken, the entire school will test positive, but will this off the wall plan save Henry’s future?
I’ve seen some hilarious stoner comedies, but I’ve also watched some lame ones. High School falls somewhere in the middle, with decent moments, but never those classic scenes that stick with you. I do have to say that Michael Chiklis as a creepy high school principal is awesome, however. The role is so out of his normal wheelhouse it provides some solid laughs and you can tell Chiklis relishes the chance to be this eclectic. The rest of the cast is fine, with Adrian Brody, Colin Hanks, Sean Marquette, and Matt Bush, but no one really has much to draw on. The writing is inconsistent, with too many cheap, recycled pot jokes, so the cast doesn’t get much of a chance to shine. There are some laughs to be had in High School, but I think you need to be as high as the folks in the movie to get the most out of this one. So if you love weed related humor or toke up before you sit down to watch, High School could provide some passable entertainment.
Video: How does it look?
High School is presented in 2.40:1 widescreen. As you’d expect from such a new release, the movie looks good and the transfer has minimal flaws. I found depth to be rock solid and while detail isn’t always eye popping per se, fine detail is good and often looks great. The colors are natural, but also show a lot of rich hues, while contrast is always on the mark. I saw no digital errors or source problems either, so this transfer looks quite good.
Audio: How does it sound?
This Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack is a good one, much more expansive than you’d expect. There is some solid power at times, as well as some creative surround presence, so this is a skilled presentation. The film’s sound design has more depth than most films of this kind, which really makes for an enhanced experience. The music sounds terrific and dialogue is crystal clear, which is always good news. So not your typical stoner movie soundtrack, to say the least. This disc also includes English and Spanish subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes a director’s commentary track, as well as some deleted scenes.
