The Telescope

Issue Date: 4/21/08

Unsurprising film 'Drillbit Taylor' disappoints

By Stephanie Torres

Owen Wilson (right), stars in 'Drillbit Taylor,' a film about three nerds who hire a supposed bodyguard to protect them from their bullies.

Owen Wilson's latest comedy, "Drillbit Taylor," leaves the viewer with a sense of deja vu. Although humorous at parts, the story and characters all seem a bit too familiar to make it a memorable movie.

In "Drillbit Taylor," Ryan (Troy Gentile) and Wade (Nate Hartley) are two geeky friends anticipating their first day of high school. Thinking that it's the perfect time to reinvent themselves, they prepare to act and look "cool."

When Wade defends a fellow geek named Emmett (David Dorfman) from their school's two sadistic bullies, Filkins (Alex Frost) and Ronnie (Jose Peck), their hopes for a higher rank in the social ladder crumbles. The two bullies make sure to haze and humiliate Ryan, Wade and Emmett as much as they possibly can.

Seeking protection from the bullies' abuse, Wade develops the idea to pull all their cash together and place an ad on the Internet for a bodyguard. Out of the several candidates, they select Drillbit Taylor. Drillbit tells the kids that he is a martial arts master and a U.S. Army deserter. In reality, he's a homeless man who sleeps in a tent and showers completely nude on the beach. His real intention is to be their bodyguard solely to use them so he could steal from their houses in order to get money.

Sounds a little familiar? "Drillbit Taylor" is a rehash of the 1980 film "My Bodyguard" in which a bullied teen hires someone to protect him. The fact that it was predictable was an obvious flaw of the film.

You can't help but think that the comedic chemistry of the three boys highly resembles that of the main characters in the movie "Superbad" - it is co-written by actor Seth Rogen, who also co-wrote "Superbad." They have similar characters: the potty-mouth fat kid who thinks he's cool, the skinny awkward one who is conservative and is infatuated with a girl, and the tiny nerd who tags along with them although the fat kid isn't fond of him. The three boys aren't the only reminiscent characters from other movies: "Drillbit" resembles Wilson's character in "You, Me and Dupree" as well - apathetic, jobless and living off a friend.

It's really like a prequel to "Superbad" and a sequel to "You, Me and Dupree."

In the beginning, you'll find the antics of the bullies quite entertaining. The bullying lends humor to some scenes. But after watching more of the bullies' torturous methods of cruelty, it will make you cringe a bit.

It might not meet your expectations, but this movie is not that bad - at the same time, it's not quite memorable either. This movie has its major flaws, but it's actually hilarious at times. Perhaps you should wait for it to come out on DVD and watch it at home rather than pay the expense of watching it at a movie theater, that way you'll get you money's worth.

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