Jack Black returns to the screen with a quirky comedy The D Train that turns on the charm before going into a tail spin that almost crashes. The movie does have its moments showing a lot of off color humor with Black kicking up his character old style much like days of movies past. However directors Andrew Mogel and Jarrad Paul depend on James Marsden to carry the heavy role to make the film work and there’s no doubt that his performance saves the day.
The committee for the 20th high school reunion has no hope for a good turnout with a lack of initiative and enthusiasm due to the few responses to the committee’s promotion. Self-appointed chairman Dan Landsman (Jack Black) has been ignored for the most part, yet he’s determined to have the best reunion ever and show that he can pull off a good show in spite of his failure to light a fire under his fellow graduates to get attendees.
One day while watching a TV commercial for Banana Boat suntan lotion he recognizes Oliver Lawless (James Marsden) one of his former classmates in the lead role. At the next committee meeting Landsman sticks out his neck and tells the committee that he can get Marsden to come to the reunion and use his acceptance to lure the whole class to attend. When he lands in LA and meets up with Lawless his life takes a turn he didn’t see coming.
Directors Andrew Mogel and Jarrad Paul are both familiar with comedy and have had great success with Jim Carrey in Yes and Liar, Liar, but here they only do and adequate job. With Black absent from the big screen since 2011 and Marsden without a hit since 2007’s Enchanted it probably wasn’t easy for Mogel and Paul to develop the much needed chemistry that would have put the film over the top. That said however, I can’t think of two better actors to fill the leads in this offbeat comedy that turns two losers loose in a reunion of tall tales.
Jack Black plays the underdog here who has been the butt of the Grant Barklidge High School jokes never succeeding as a big man on campus. It’s Black’s signature role and he handles it well drawing sympathy for his “wanting to be, but never was”. Mogal and Paul’s script has Black’s character taking a few twists that he handle’s nicely with a shocker of sorts providing the change-up necessary to keep the film from being overly predictable.
Marsden does his share of developing the relationship necessary between his character and Landsman. He’s uncertain at first that he wants to set up a con so the reunion will be a success, but it’s his Lawless that wants to be known as a star and finds the event the perfect opportunity to enjoy the fanfare. In Marsden fashion Lawless gloats in the revelry no matter who gets stepped on so he can come up a winner.
The D Train has been rated R for strong sexual material, nudity, language and drug use.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A pompous return for both stars in this offbeat comedy. (C )
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Jack Black, James Marsden, Kathryn Hahn, Mike White, Kyle Bornheimer, Henry Zebrowski, Russell Posner, Jeffrey Tambor.
Directed and written by: Andrew Mogel and Jarrad Paul
Genre: Comedy
MPAA Rating: R for strong sexual material, nudity, language and drug use
Running Time: 1 hr. 37 min
Release Date: May 8, 2015
Distributed by: IFC Films
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
