Blockers

One thing I've learned over the course of running this blog is that sometimes it's a good idea to take chances. There are a lot of genres I'm not a fan of, such as the basic comedy or shock horror films which plague the industry today. However, there is always the chance of an honest jewel in the rough that makes sitting through the sex jokes and jumpscares worth it. Blockers is one of those films.

A friend of mine mentioned to me that a new John Cena comedy was coming soon, and at first I was honestly not interested. I don't have any issues with Cena, but his previous work leaves a lot to be desired. But, I did some research and found that the reviews had been mostly positive, and that there was a lot to be loved. So, I decided to bite my tongue, and take the chances, and I'm really glad I did because Blockers is nothing but wholesome.

When the basic plot of the film is revealed to you, you will be understandably be skeptic. Three girls trying to lose their virginity against their parents wishes? That's weak sauce. But there's a lot more to the plot that adds to this films general levity and what makes it so endearing. It's filled with feel-good, hearty moments that will make some reminisce to their younger days, or just great times with friends. I made a big deal about nostalgia in my review for Ready Player One last week, and how sometimes it can deceive you with how good it really was, well, Blockers definitely does a good job of reminding people about how things used to be.

Supporting such a wholesome story is a duo of two trios (if that makes any sense), made up of the parents, played by the aforementioned John Cena, the charming Leslie Mann, and the increasingly funny Ike Barinholtz, and the daughters, played by the charming young stars Kathryn Newton, Geraldine Viswanathan, and Gideon Adlon. Both of these charismatic trios really carry the weight of the film, bringing its most heartfelt moments when they interact with each other but still being really clever on their own rights.

However, I'd argue that what really brings the film down is the one thing its advertised as: comedy. There are funny moments in this film, for sure, but most of the comedy is the basic, watered down bro-style comedy you expect to see from these types of films. There are gags that are juvenile at the level of something such as The Hangover or Superbad, they're not bad, but they've just been done already. But most of the dimwitted stuff is heavily outweighed by the charm, that it makes it decently worthwhile.

Blockers isn't a perfect film, or a perfect comedy, but it is full of heart and a lot of soul, and for that it's getting a 7.1/10. It's proof that you don't have to sacrifice lovable characters or plot elements just to make a comedy, and that's all that matters.