Spring Break
Nothing to get 'Fired Up' about
1 and a half out of 5 stars
Becky Radolf
Issue date: 2/24/09 Section: Focus
If "Bring It On" and "American Pie" were to give birth to an awkward child that never quite lives up to its parents' expectations, then "Fired Up!" would be that spawn. The movie follows Nick Brady (Eric Christensen Olsen) and Shawn Colfax (Nicholas D'Agosto) on their escapades through cheerleading camp. These two popular high school jocks weaseled their way out of football camp for the sole purpose of hooking up with as many cheerleaders as they can during their stay with the squad. Nick, the funnier and wittier one of the two, sticks to the duo's game plan of pretending to love cheerleading to hook up with as many girls as possible in two weeks. Shawn, however, falls for Carly (Sarah Roemer), another cheerleader on his squad and the movie then bases itself on Shawn's attempts at stealing Carly from her sleazy college boyfriend while Nick tries to talk him out of it.
"Fired Up!" rides the stereotypical approach to cheerleaders: they're all bimbos, they all have perfect bodies, and apparently they like to make out with each other on a regular basis. It takes the chauvinistic route to getting gags, but once viewers suspend reality and how old these actors playing high-schoolers probably are, every now and then I could muster up a laugh. The two guys have a few witty one-liners, but it's mostly the odd characters and circumstances around them that keep the gags continuing. Carly's boyfriend is easily the funniest character of the movie, as he insists on being referenced as "Dr. Rick" and blasts tunes like "Chumbawumba" and "Breakfast at Tiffany's" in his car with his equally meatheaded friends.
Luckily, the movie recognizes it's ludicrousness and doesn't even take itself serious. At one point of the movie, the entire cheer champ is watching Bring It On while they all say each line in unison, basically epitomizing that a better parody of cheerleading has preceded it. Pre-pubescent boys enjoy Nick and Shawn's bathroom jokes and revel in their ability to score endless of amounts of beautiful girls. Everyone else will find the movie a second-rate film that might leave any girl slightly offended at the level of intelligence they consider the fairer sex to possess.
"Fired Up!" rides the stereotypical approach to cheerleaders: they're all bimbos, they all have perfect bodies, and apparently they like to make out with each other on a regular basis. It takes the chauvinistic route to getting gags, but once viewers suspend reality and how old these actors playing high-schoolers probably are, every now and then I could muster up a laugh. The two guys have a few witty one-liners, but it's mostly the odd characters and circumstances around them that keep the gags continuing. Carly's boyfriend is easily the funniest character of the movie, as he insists on being referenced as "Dr. Rick" and blasts tunes like "Chumbawumba" and "Breakfast at Tiffany's" in his car with his equally meatheaded friends.
Luckily, the movie recognizes it's ludicrousness and doesn't even take itself serious. At one point of the movie, the entire cheer champ is watching Bring It On while they all say each line in unison, basically epitomizing that a better parody of cheerleading has preceded it. Pre-pubescent boys enjoy Nick and Shawn's bathroom jokes and revel in their ability to score endless of amounts of beautiful girls. Everyone else will find the movie a second-rate film that might leave any girl slightly offended at the level of intelligence they consider the fairer sex to possess.
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Kazz
posted 2/27/09 @ 7:59 PM EST
I love how everyone is saying this movie sucks because it is "stereotypical"... maybe you don't see that it is funny BECAUSE it is based entirely on stereotypes! You don't go to see 'Fired Up' expecting intricate plot and oscar-worthy acting. (Continued…)
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