Orange County (2002)

Overrated

Memorable, crazy movie

It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

An endlessly funny, fully realized universe that subverts its subjects and setting, all while clearly loving them. Almost like they were making a satire of turn-of-the-century teen life without denying its power ("Butterfly"). It has surprisingly strong things to say about idolizing your dreams, under appreciating what you have, and realizing the love you have for the family and friends who drive you crazy. An underappreciated and ahead-of-its-time teen comedy.

Orange County is as light as a feather, but almost consistently entertaining about a frustrated high school senior with high hopes to get into Stanford and leave his crazy family and vacuous town behind. But when his dim bulb guidance counselor mixes up his transcript with that of a moronic burn out, he goes into panic mode to undue the damage and get himself into his dream school which rejected him. His trainwreck of a family are the obstacles that keep his plans from ever materializing into anything but embarrassing defeats. The first two acts are basically episodic comedic situations, but there's enough wit and manic energy here to overcome the TV episode feel to most of the film. With barely the running time of a feature film, Orange County missteps a bit in the last act, which takes place at Stanford and while some of the situations still prove funny - the dean of admissions played by Harold Ramis accidentally taking ecstasy is an inspired bit - it feels more like an overlong screenplay deviation than a last act. Kasdan and Hanks put enough effort and charm into the picture to counter any arguments of nepotism, but Schuyler Fisk has zero screen presence and the charm of a dead goat. Orange County has enough heart to coast by and while not exactly the most memorable film, is funny enough to recommend.

Shaun Brumder is from Orange County, and dreams of going to Stanford to become a writer, and to get away from his dysfunctional family household. Except he runs into one complication after another starting when his application is rejected after his guidance counsellor sends the wrong application. So, Shaun goes to great lengths with a little help from his girlfriend Ashley and his drugged-out loser brother Lance to get into Stanford any way they see fit....This was another case of bad advertising here in the UK. When it was first released, it was heralded as a stoner movie, with Black being the focus of the whole movie.Eleven years down the line, I decided to give it a chance, and while its nothing special, just another caper about some wrong papers being sent, and one mans journey for his dream, it's the wealth of support that the film has.Not to mention that the film has so many prolific actors in it, probably because the director is Lawrence Kasdan. It isn't a bad thing, but its a case of not what you know, but who you know.So all in all, it's pretty generic stuff, but not including credits, the film last for just over 72 minutes, so it comes and goes swiftly.

Sjeezzz... where do I have to start ??First of all the lead actor :).. What a retard it is. He proves that being a son of a famous/descent actor ain't a guarantee of being a descent/good actor yourself. Mr Hanks plays Shaun Brumder, a high schooler eager to propel himself out of the land of surf bums and ranch homes to which the film's title refers. He plays his character like he is Mr Asperger himself. That with a dumb screenplay (random half-naked volleyball players ??!!) and some other garbage actors and you have ''Orange County''. The only actor who is in some parts actually funny is Jack Black. You could even state he saves the movie from being a complete fail. When I was watching this movie for about 20 minutes I started vomiting of the images in my head. The images were about me punching Hanks junior so hard in the face until his whole face was wrecked. This was the level of frustration I was in while watching this movie.My advice is to not watch this movie. Unless you want to waste 1.5 hours of your life on a movie where the main focus lays on a dumb retard who can't act and only plays in movies and series because his dads status.And if this ain't enough for you....We still have John lithgow... :)I'd rather commit suicide than to watch this movie for a second time :(