REVIEW: Drillbit Lacks Logical Plot
By Connect Mason Reviewer Emily Culley
Imagine going into high school knowing that you are a dork, that your best friend is a dweeb and realizing that the two of you are in for a tough first year.
That's exactly how Wade and Ryan start out their high school lives in the new PG-13 Paramount movie Drillbit Taylor.
The bullies almost immediately begin hassling Wade and T-Dawg, only it is a little unbelievable that the bullies are allowed this much freedom in a modern high-secure school setting. The bullies run rampant through the hallways, stuff kids into lockers and force kids to do whatever they please without objection from the administration. A little unbelievable?
Yes.
Then take Owen Wilson's character, Drillbit Taylor, a homeless army runaway looking for a quick-fix to money so he can reach Canada, in hopes of being paid by the government to live. Does that even seem like a logical thought?
Nope.
Drillbit quickly becomes the substitute teacher who helps keep the three boys safe from the bullies and who romances the hot English teacher - in the course of about five minutes in the movie.
He proves to be a shady body guard, who weasels the kids out of their money and teaches them half-baked self=defense. All goes well until Wade gets punched by one of the bullies and Drillbit realizes that he actually cares about the kids' well being.
The movie has many illogical plot elements, such as kids living alone in houses with samurai swords, expensive cars and easy access to alcohol; principals, teachers and parents who don't believe that the three kids are getting beat up by the bullies.
If you don't focus too much on the illogical plot, then the movie is quite enjoyable. The two main actors, Troy Gentile and Nate Hartley have a few humorous scenes. My favorite character, though, had to be the third nerd, Emmit, played by David Dorfman, for he truly nailed his character.
RATING: C