21 Jump Street

21 Jump Street
Promotional poster
Directed by	Phil Lord and Chris Miller
Produced by	Stephen J. Cannell Neal H. Moritz
Screenplay by	Michael Bacall
Story by	Jonah Hill Michael Bacall
Based on	21 Jump Street by Patrick Hasburgh Stephen J. Cannell
Starring	Jonah Hill Channing Tatum Brie Larson Dave Franco Ellie Kemper Rob Riggle Ice Cube Dax Flame
Music by	Mark Mothersbaugh
Cinematography	Barry Peterson
Editing by	Joel Negrone
Studio	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Original Film Lord Miller Productions Relativity Media[1]
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date(s)	March 16, 2012 (2012-03-16)
Running time	109 minutes[2]
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$42 million[3]
Box office	$188,837,227[4]

21 Jump Street is a 2012 American action comedy film starring Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, written by Hill and Michael Bacall, and directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller.^[5] It is based on the 1987 television series of the same name by Stephen J. Cannell and Patrick Hasburgh.

Plot

Morton Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Greg Jenko (Channing Tatum) are former classmates who meet again at police academy. Schmidt was a nerd while Jenko was a jock. They end up becoming friends at the academy as they help with each others' weaknesses with Schmidt helping Jenko study and Jenko motivating Schmidt through physical activity. They graduate together as partners, but are assigned to park patrol. They catch a break when they spot a group of drug dealers and arrest their leader Domingo (DeRay Davis). However, the department is forced to release him as Jenko forgot to read the Miranda rights. The two are reassigned to a revived specialty division on 21 Jump Street.

They are introduced to Captain Dickson (Ice Cube), who explains the division specializes in infiltrating high schools and that they were chosen because of their youthful appearances. Schmidt and Jenko are assigned to go back to their old high school to stop a new synthetic drug from spreading to other campuses by finding the supplier. They go undercover as brothers, living at Schmidt's parents' house, and see that their high school has changed. Jenko accidentally switches their identities and they get each others' classes. They learn the lead dealer of the drug is the popular Eric (Dave Franco), but he is not the supplier.

They go to the dealing room where Eric forces them to take the drug there and not wait. They attempt to regurgitate it but are unsuccessful, and they undergo the phases of the drug while talking to their P.E. teacher, Mr. Walters (Rob Riggle), and also while running track and during band practice. The mistakes that happen at the track meet causes Eric to take a liking to Schmidt.

Schmidt manages to fit in with the popular kids and takes a romantic interest in Eric's friend Molly (Brie Larson), while Jenko becomes friends with the nerds in his AP Chemistry class while his teacher Ms. Griggs (Ellie Kemper) takes a sexual interest in him. Jenko discovers that his new friends secretly tap into other people's cell phones to listen into their conversations. Schmidt decides to throw a party at his house to gain Eric's complete trust and Jenko takes the opportunity to tap into Eric's phone. Despite Captain Dickson ordering them not to serve alcohol and drugs to minors, they nevertheless buy alcohol and steal confiscated marijuana. When Eric arrives with Molly and his other friends, Jenko steals Eric's phone for his friends to tap into while Schmidt fights off a rival of Eric's.

Schmidt pretends to sell the drug for Eric but is actually giving it to Captain Dickson to be confiscated. While at Eric's house, Schmidt asks Molly out to prom while Jenko listens through Eric's phone. He also insults Jenko to Eric with Jenko listening. Schmidt and Jenko learn that Eric is making a deal soon. When Jenko spots Eric leaving school, he takes Schmidt to follow him. They see that Eric is dealing with Domingo and his gang and they follow them, but are forced to run away when Domingo spots them. Back at school, Jenko accuses Schmidt of his earlier insults, possibly ruining the case, and getting in too deep, but Schmidt brushes him off. Jenko and Schmidt get into a fight that results in them getting expelled and fired from Jump Street.

Later that night, both are confronted by Eric and his friends, who want to bring them on as security after hearing about what happened with Domingo. He tells them about a deal with Domingo happening during prom where they get to meet the supplier. At prom, they are surprised to see that the supplier is Mr. Walters. When Domingo and his gang arrive, he recognizes Schmidt and Jenko as police officers, and tells two of his men to kill them. However, the two men reveal themselves as DEA Agents Tom Hanson (Johnny Depp) and Doug Penhall (Peter DeLuise), who were a part of the Jump Street program when it began. Hanson casually talks to Schmidt and Jenko during the standoff which gives Domingo the opportunity to kill him and Penhall. A gunfight ensues between Schmidt and Jenko, Mr. Walters, and Domingo and his crew. Mr. Walters and Eric escape in a limo with Molly as a hostage, with Domingo and his crew in pursuit of them in another limo. Schmidt and Jenko pursue all of them in another limo where Jenko creates a homemade chemical bomb from his knowledge in AP Chemistry to kill Domingo and his crew. They then confront Mr. Walters, who shoots at Schmidt. Jenko jumps in front of Schmidt, saving his life and getting shot in the arm and his chest, which was protected by a bullet-proof vest in the process. In response, Schmidt shoots Mr. Walters in the groin, severing his penis. The duo successfully arrest him and Eric and make amends with each other. Schmidt makes amends with Molly and the two share a kiss. They are rehired into Jump Street where Dickson gives them a new assignment in a college setting, to Schmidt's excitement but to Jenko's dismay.

Cast

Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum promoting the movie in their costumes at WonderCon 2012 in Anaheim, CA.

• Jonah Hill as Morton Schmidt^[6]
• Channing Tatum as Greg Jenko^[7]
• Brie Larson as Molly^[8]
• Ice Cube as Capt. Dickson^[9]
• Ellie Kemper as Ms. Griggs^[10]
• Dave Franco as Eric^[11]
• Rob Riggle as Mr. Walters^[12]
• Johnny Depp as Tom Hanson (cameo)^[13]
• Peter DeLuise as Doug Penhall (cameo)
• Holly Robinson Peete as Judy Hoffs
• Richard Grieco as Dennis Booker
• Nick Offerman as Capt. Hardy^[14]
• Dakota Johnson as Fugazy
• Rye Rye as Jr. Jr.
• Valerie Tian as Burns
• Johnny Simmons as Billiam Willingham
• Dax Flame as Zack
• DeRay Davis as Domingo
• Jake Johnson as Principal Dadier
• Johnny Pemberton as Delroy
• Justin Hires as Juario
• Brett Lapeyrouse as Amir
• Lindsey Broad as Lisa
• Chanel Celaya as Melody

Production

In May 2008, Columbia Pictures confirmed that a film version of the series was under development. Jonah Hill rewrote an existing script by screenwriter Joe Gazzam and executive produced the film, as well as starred in the film.^[15] Hill has said he wanted horror director Rob Zombie to direct the picture. In May 2009, Hill described the film adaptation as being a "R-rated, insane, Bad Boys-meets-John Hughes-type movie".^[16] On December 21, 2009, it was announced that Columbia Pictures were in talks with Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs directing duo, Phil Lord and Chris Miller, to direct the film.^[17] The film follows the same continuity as the TV series; Lord said, "So, all of those events of the original happened. And now here we are 20 years later, and we’re watching it happened to different people."^[18] However, the film features a highly comedic tone, departing radically from the more dramatic and earnest tone of the series.^[19]

Filming

The film was shot in and around the city of New Orleans, Louisiana, although the filmmakers took elaborate steps to disguise the location as a generic city. They replaced distinctive street signs with signs using a Helvetica typeface, digitally removed billboards for local businesses, and avoided filming locations with iconic New Orleans imagery.^[20] The naked baby pictures of Hill's character used in the film were actual pictures of Hill as a child.^[21]

Music

A total of 21 songs were licensed for use in the film. Despite this, no soundtrack album was released featuring any of the music from the film including the score by Mark Mothersbaugh. A modernized cover of the original television's theme song by Rye Rye and Esthero was released as a single in the iTunes Store.

Release

The premiere of 21 Jump Street took place on March 12, 2012, at the Paramount Theatre in Austin, TX during SXSW.^[22] The film opened in a wide release in theaters on March 16, 2012.

Box office

The film topped the North American box office with $13.23 million on its opening day. During the weekend, the film grossed $35 million taking Dr. Seuss' The Lorax out of the number one spot that it held for its first two weeks.^[23]

The film has grossed $136,611,763 in North America, and $52,225,464 in other countries, as of May 28, 2012, for a worldwide total of $188,837,227.^[4]

Critical reception

Reviews of the film have been very positive. Based on 194 reviews collected by Rotten Tomatoes, the film currently holds an 85% approval rating from critics, with an average score of 7.2/10. The consensus states: "A smart, affectionate satire of '80s nostalgia and teen movie tropes, 21 Jump Street offers rowdy mainstream comedy with a surprisingly satisfying bite."^[24] Metacritic gave the film 69 out of 100 with generally favorable reviews from 41 critics.^[25]

Accolades

The film received six award nominations at the 2012 MTV Movie Award including Best Cast, Best On-Screen Transformation for Depp, Best Fight for a fight scene between Tatum, Hill, and a gang of school kids, Best Gut-Wrenching Performance for Hill and Riggle, Best Comedic Performance for Hill, and Best Music for the song Party Rock Anthem by the group LMFAO.^[26]

Home media

21 Jump Street will be released on DVD and Blu-ray in Canada and the United States on June 26, 2012^[28][29] and the United Kingdom on July 9, 2012.^[30]

Sequel

On March 17, 2012, Sony Pictures announced that it was pursuing a sequel to the film with 21 Jump Street: The Second Jump as the working title, signing a deal that would see Hill and Bacall return to write a script treatment that would be again developed by Bacall. Hill and Tatum are expected to return to star in the film. They will also be executive producers, alongside producer Neal H. Moritz.^[31]

References

External links

• Official website
• 21 Jump Street at the Internet Movie Database
• 21 Jump Street at AllRovi
• 21 Jump Street at Box Office Mojo
• 21 Jump Street at Rotten Tomatoes
• 21 Jump Street at Metacritic