Admission (2013)

Dave’s 3-Word Review
Atta Girl, Fey

It’s always a treat to watch a more…dramatic film starring actors that are typically found in comedies. For some reason, these actors show so much heart when they change gears for the movie, it’s actually something else to witness. We all know Will Ferrell’s film, Stranger than Fiction is a perfect example of proof that he has it in him to do something great. The same can be said for Adam Sandler in Reign over Me, which of course is a brilliant movie that shouldn’t be missed. Both above-mentioned films are must-sees, and even though Tina Fey and Paul Rudd’s latest film, Admissions does showcase another side of the actors, it’s not as great or as memorable as the other mentioned films, but it’s still pretty great.

Tina Fey plays Portia Nathan, an admissions advisor for Princeton University. Portia and the rest of the advisors at Princeton see something like 20,000 applications a year, but only a handful of the applicants actually get accepted. We all know that Princeton is really competitive to get into, so what happens when new applicant Jeremiah (Nat Wolff) shows up looking for a spot? Jeremiah is one heck of a case. He’s not all that bad of a guy, but his history with bad grades lands him in the practically impossible for acceptation pile. Portia agrees until Jeremiah’s high school teacher, John Pressman (Paul Rudd) insists that he is Portia’s long-lost son that she gave up for adoption when he was born. This dawns on Portia that not everything is black and white with students, even though they have bad pasts…their present is what defines them now.

This is really great to watch for a number of reasons, primarily…it has quite a bit of heart to it. Portia’s long-lost and forgotten feelings of leaving her son shoot sky high in this, and it really shows the importance of a mothers love for her child, and the things that aren’t so fun when it comes to being in the system. It also portrays the shallow views of colleges, accepting students who are popular and are guaranteed to pass the school. Looking good shouldn’t be a primary focus of a school, education should.  Fey and Rudd do a fantastic job with acting in this movie, and you really do feel connected with their characters. You feel for them, and you want to know what happens between Jeremiah and Portia. The comedy in the movie is awkward humor but sweet, given what it’s all about.

The romance aspect between Portia and John seems a bit out of place. It works, but at the same time…if you asked if it was needed…you might be shaking your head no. Does it really build on to anyone’s character, or is it just there because there is two single people? Sometimes it is hard to tell for these two. The positive thing is that it at least works if you don’t think too much into it.

Tina Fey is mostly known for her roles in Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock, too outrageously funny television programs. She can also be seen in numerous comedies, but this is a great addition to her resume to showcase her talents on being dramatic. She does a wonderful job. The same can be said for Paul Rudd, but we have seen Rudd in serious roles as well, just not as much of a primary focus.

This is a great watch. You won’t be missing much by not watching it, but you won’t be sorry if you do end up choosing to check it out. It’s very watchable and very likeable. Check it out! Admission comes to Blu-Ray and DVD on Jul. 9!