By Mike Denny (Jan. 15, 2002)

Disgust and fear crept down my spine when I entered the theatre to face a multitude of sappy teen movie trailers. Disgust of pop-icon-filled melodramatic pieces of film, and fear that Orange County may follow along with this typified genre. Instead I was presently surprised by a story of a young mishap trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life. Orange County follows a Catcher in the Rye –esque journey of a young Shaun Brumbder; a surfer turned wannabe writer, living a stereotypical Californian existence. The plot line revolves around a rejection letter from Stanford, and his quest to get in and study with a famed writer. 

Orange County is a very funny movie, and despite its PG-13 rating, manages to include plenty of raunchy humor and references to sex, drugs, and rock and roll. This film also triggers the emergence of Jack Black as a comedic star. This co-member of Tenacious-D recently made a name for himself in High Fidelity and the unmemorable Shallow Hal, but it is in a role as a drugged-out, pathetic older brother that Jack Black shows his future potential in both physical (slapstick) and ironic comedy.

Orange County also is the first title role for Colin Hanks, son of Tom Hanks, who plays the unfortunate Brumbder, a victim of "when guidance counselors go wrong," Several Cameos by famous comedians such as Chevy Chase, Ben Stiller, and Ivan Reitman (the guy with glasses from Ghost Busters I and II) provide weird and often hilarious interludes, like when a certain admissions counselor is slipped some Ecstasy. 

Unlike American Pie or Can’t Hardly Wait, this film hardly falls into your average teen movie category. The story of a youth on the brink of failure or success is a time-told story that many at Mason could identify with. And with both rejection and approval letters on their way to Mason seniors, a little humor might help the situation. So, If you want comedy and direction, plus a good dose of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, and Jack Black in dirty briefs, Orange County is a good way to spend some time that might be spent on something tragic and grossly unnecessary, like studying for the SATs.