[Viennale.]

High School is John Stalberg‘s first film, starring Matt Bush, Sean Marquette, Michael Chiklis, Colin Hanks and Adrien Brody.

Plot:
Henry (Matt Bush) is on the best way to finish High School as the valedictorian, when the spelling bee champion on his school gets stoned before the championship and triggers an anti-drug campaign led by the principal (Michael Chiklis): He wants compulsory drug tests for all the students. Usually that wouldn’t be a problem for Henry, but just the day before the principal announces this, Henry gets together with his old friend Travis (Sean Marquette) [who has the wonderful last name Breaux] and smokes his first joint. Out of desperation, Travis and Henry hatch the plan to drug the whole school. For that, they only have to steal from the drug dealer Psycho Ed (Adrien Brody). Who’s called Psycho for very good reasons.

I’m usually not so much for stoner movies, but Adrien Brody pulled me into this one – and it was actually really entertaining. The story is really predictable, but it had some very nice touches and good jokes.

The cast was fine, though I thought they were mostly overacting. But since it fit the film, I’m not complaining. Especially Sean Marquette did a good job on that count. It was also nice to see some known faces among the teachers: Curtis Armstrong (whose Leverage-Beverage-explains-the-tea-party scene was awesome), Yeardley Smith and Michael Vartan.

But star of the show was Adrien Brody (could it be any different?). Even though he has only a supporting role, his twitchy, not-of-this-world, insane Psycho Ed who can have whole conversations with his pet toad that consists only of the word “Whut” is a complete scene-stealer, even in scenes he’s not in.

Its pacing is a little off sometimes, but for a first time director, this is an astonishingly solid debut which doesn’t rely exclusively on stoner tropes, which makes it accessible for people who are not stoned during the showing.

What the movie did perfectly, was to impart a contact high. I went out of the film and felt completely stoned myself. [Without the nausea and the paranoia that usually comes with it in my case, which I’m very grateful for.] It’s a movie that leaves you with a spring in your step and a goofy grin on your face.

Summarising: Worth your time. Especially if you’re a stoner, but not only then.