22 With a Bullet

Sometimes, after you've transcended the reality of physical existence; experienced two-faced deception from a companion and witnessed a 500 foot monster lay waste to the western seaboard, you're ready to sit down in front of a balls-out comedy and laugh your ass off. Enter 22 Jump Street, the latest somewhat manic creation directed by the somewhat manic Phil Lord and Chris Miller of 21 J.St., Meatballs and Lego fame. There's no rocket science going on here, but the chemistry between Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum carries the film, delivering belly laughs aplenty. The screenplay by Michael Bacal (Scott Pilgrim, Project X, 21 J.St.), Rodney Rothman (Grudge Match) and Oren Uziel is chock full of side references, adopting a heavily meta approach that is not new, but has never been so blatant or effective (staying through the end credits is essential). The script on its own could not carry this, and the ‘waffer-thin' plot verges on insulting, but that is not the point of course, it's all about the gags and Hill & Tatum deliver these with gusto as their relationship is put under the spotlight to hilarious effect. Lord & Miller deliver a pacey, punchy film that is just plain funnier than any other comedy this year. It’s perhaps a tad baggy in places and suffers slightly from a couple of gags stretching beyond the punch line (you know, that awkward moment of standing looking at each other for an instant - let's call it Improv Lag), but this never detracts from the whole, which sweeps logic and structure aside in a glorious typhoon of uproarious laughter. Don't analyse this film, just let yourself go and jump in with both feet.