If you’re going to make a stupid comedy, it is essential not to run from the stupidity but to embrace it.
And maybe hire Vince Vaughn.
It works for “The Binge,” anyway. Most of the time.
As for Vaughn, yes, he can be an iffy proposition, but he’s best when he plays fast-talking smart-aleck wheeler-dealer jerks — it’s a gift of sorts — and for most of the movie, that describes his character here.
Jeremy Garelick’s film, which streams on Hulu starting Friday, Aug. 28, is certainly inspired by “The Purge” and its sequels, though not necessarily an out-and-out parody. Those films, in which there are no laws for one day each year, are pretty dumb to begin with, after all. Not a lot of room to make fun.
It's like 'The Purge,' but not
But the idea is similar. In 2032, we learn from a Morgan Freeman voiceover that all drugs and alcohol have been banned. Except for one day each year, during which you can indulge in whatever illegal substance you like. Laws still apply, but parties abound.
Garelick and screenwriter Jordan VanDina have created an interesting world around the idea — high school kids share legends, like one girl who says her mom used to buy wine by the box. Then there were the keg stands of yore.
“What’s a keg?” One student asks.
Griffin (Skyler Gisondo) and Hags (Dexter Darden) are seniors at American High School. Hags is dying to binge; he even built a booze cycle that allows you to drink and pedal your way around town. Griffin, who has been accepted to Brown, isn’t so sure. Plus, he wants to ask Lena (Grace Van Dien) to prom — and she is the daughter of Principal Carlsen.
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That would be Vaughn, and the first time we see him, he is exhorting the student body not to participate in the Binge even if they are eligible. He’s pretty much a dope, and he’s tone deaf, particularly when trying to tell the sad story of the cafeteria worker who was burned in a jet ski accident during a Binge (he has her there as a prop).
The more Carlsen talks, the more it makes the kids want to binge, of course. When school lets out, one girl says, “I hear if you eat mushrooms and sacrifice an animal your whole life turns into a musical.”
Some of the movie's best moments belong to Vince Vaughn
Despite that delightful possibility, Griffin won’t budge until Lena tells him she’s thinking about bingeing, too. But Griffin and Hags have committed to family game night with their parents, just like every year. It’s as exciting as it sounds.
Of course Griffin and Hags eventually must get out, and they do. They need to get to a massive party at the library where a bingeing competition called the Gauntlet takes place. They wind up needing the help of Andrew (Eduardo Franco), a weird guy they used to be friends with. The rest of the film revolves around the three of them trying to get to the library party and Griffin asking Lena to prom.
As in “Superbad,” getting to a party is harder than it sounds. “The Binge” isn’t nearly as funny as that film, mind you, but it has its moments.
Many of those belong to Vaughn — now there is an actor not afraid to lean into stupidity. In fact, it’s when he goes the other way that he falters. But here he’s committed to his character’s relentless idiocy, and “The Binge” is better for it.
Also like “Superbad,” there is an underlying sweetness to the film. It’s hidden under mounds of cocaine and gallons of booze, but it’s there. A commitment to friendship is what really drives the movie.
Of course with this kind of film, not every joke lands. You’re hoping for a good proportion — more hits than misses. The ratio isn’t quite as high as you’d like with “The Binge,” but it’s close enough.
'The Binge' 3 stars
Great ★★★★★ Good ★★★★
Fair ★★★ Bad ★★ Bomb ★
Director: Jeremy Garelick.
Cast: Vince Vaughn, Skyler Gisondo, Dexter Darden.
Rating: Not rated.
Note: Streams on Hulu beginning Friday, Aug. 28.
Reach Goodykoontz at bill.goodykoontz@arizonarepublic.com. Facebook: facebook.com/GoodyOnFilm. Twitter: @goodyk.
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