Movie Review: Blockers

Teen-sex comedies are nothing new to filmgoers. From classics like Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) and American Pie (1999), to modern day favorites like Superbad (2007) and Easy A (2010), audiences continue to connect with that awkward sexual time present in most high schooler students’ life. It’s a scenario that is both relatable and offers screenwriters an opportunity to sprinkle in some coming-of-age tropes. The writers of Blockers, Brian and Jim Kehoe, certainly chose to do just that, and while their screenplay nails the comedic aspect of teen sexuality and the concerns such presents their parents, the Kehoes fail to create anything meaningful with their story’s dramatic elements. This certainly doesn’t damage the overall enjoyment to be had with Blockers, it just prevents it from being considered among the great teen-sex comedy movies that came before it.

Lisa (Leslie Mann), Mitchell (John Cena), and Hunter (Ike Barinholtz) all have daughters they hold dearly in their hearts. While their daughters all grew up as best friends, the three parents grew apart over the years and rarely see each other anymore. The three couples have also raised their children using different parenting styles. Lisa is the overbearing mother who needs to know everything that is going on with her daughter’s life. Mitchell is the father who uses a coaching-style mentality and must plan every aspect of his daughter’s life out. Finally, Hunter rarely speaks to his daughter after divorcing her mother. These three parents run into each other before their daughters’ prom night, but what is supposed to be a brief encounter ultimately turns into an adventurous night out after they learn that their daughters have all made a sex pact to lose their virginity that night. The distraught parents then team-up to track their children down to prevent them from having sex, which is where the hilarity ensues.

Blockers establishes its characters, both parents and children, very well – almost too well. Each parent has a different style, while each daughter has an equally different narrative arc, all feeling like boxes the writers wanted to check to make sure they covered every possible audience demographic. While there’s nothing wrong with doing that, the way it is presented in Blockers feels more manufactured than earned. Yet the characters are all established right off the bat and the filmmakers start using their personalities to create funny comedic situations from the get go. The writers and director Kay Cannon excel at milking every situation for the maximum comedic value, but they tend to focus on the situation more than the writing. This creates a movie that has funny moments more often than funny lines.

The film’s premise begins simply enough and is content on just going through the motions of a typical R-rated comedy. From awkward sex jokes, to shocking nudity and outrageous situations, Blockers succeeds everywhere a comedy should be expected to succeed. The writing and direction get some credit for this, but most of the credit belongs to the film’s cast. John Cena plays against type to great effect. Barinholtz steals many of the scenes he is featured in. And Mann is as dependable as ever as the film’s middle-aged mother. The teenage actresses also shine in their comedic scenes – Gideon Adlon, as Sam, gets the film’s best and most earnest dramatic moments. Again, with a slightly better script and surer sense of direction, these actors could have pulled off something special here, instead Blockers is content with just being a solid comedy.

John Cena (l-r), Leslie Mann, and Ike Barinholtz in “Blockers.”

Part teen-sex-comedy, part coming-of-age story, Blockers feels like it aims low and certainly clears the middle-of-the-road bar it sets for itself. It suffers through some bumps along the way, but the film comes together for a funny and enjoyable experience for the most part. All the actors here are given their individual moments to shine. While some teen-sex comedies handle their subjects with a little more nuance and subtlety, Blockers works best when viewed as a straightforward comedy. Much like prom night, it has its fun and not-so fun moments, but you’ll probably forget most of them as you grow older.

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Scott Davis

Scott Davis is a recent graduate of Oakland University where he earned a degree in journalism. He worked for the student newspaper on campus, The Oakland Post, where he became the paper's managing editor. He also earned a minor in Cinema Studies at OU. Scott enjoys all things film and TV related, especially the blockbuster kind. He might be the biggest Christopher Nolan fan you know.

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