The New Guy is a 2002 American teen comedy directed by Ed Decter. The film tells the story of a high school loser Dizzy Gillespie Harrison.[1] Dizzy is an unpopular, high school band geek going through a hellish senior year. In an attempt to make a new identity for himself, Dizzy gets himself expelled from his high school, learns how to be cool from a prison inmate, and enrolls at a new high school under the alias Gil Harris. He is quick to make new friends and soon gains respect from jocks and geeks alike, uniting a once divided school and greatly improving its football team. Eventually, Gil has to face his demons from his old school when they face each other in a football game.
In certain ways, this movie can be thought up as a modern day Pygmalion story for its potrayal of a social pariah's rise to popularity.[1]
Plot
The movie begins with a prison inmate, Luther (Eddie Griffin), speaking directly to the camera to an unseen individual, telling the story of Dizzy Gillespie Harrison (DJ Qualls), an 18-year-old high school senior and nerd. Dizzy is friends with Nora (Zooey Deschanel), Kirk (Jerod Mixon) and Glen (Parry Shen),[2] and attends Rocky Creek High School, where he is picked on by star football player Barclay. This occurs before and after Tina Osgood causes him to have an erection,[2] which the school librarian (played by Justine Johnston) accidentally breaks.[1] What the librarian didn't realize is that Dizzy's white briefs were yanked from underneath his pants and placed on top of his head[2] - revealing the erect penis in plain sight instead of "covering it." Dizzy is misdiagnosed with Tourette syndrome in addition to being unable to perform sexual intercourse; he is then illegally placed on medication by the school counselor. While at the mall's food court, Dizzy makes a fool of himself and gets arrested.[1]
In prison, Dizzy meets Luther, who turns out to be a sympathetic ex-victim who makes it his goal to teach him how to be cool.[2] In an attempt to wipe the slate clean, Dizzy gets himself expelled from his old high school, then undergoes a makeover with the help of the prison inmates.[1] Changing his name to 'Gil Harris', he enrolls at East Highland High and makes an impression by being dropped off in a prison van and beating up the school bully, Connor.[1]
The action has an intended effect, and head cheerleader, Danielle (Eliza Dushku), welcomes the newcomer to school.[2] Her friend Courtney (Sunny Mabrey) invites Dizzy to a party and through a mishap, Dizzy gives Courtney the impression he's rejected her. Using a photo given to him by the prison inmates and help from his old friends, Dizzy manages to escape the party with his reputation intact. Upon returning home, however, he finds his father (Lyle Lovett) has agreed to sell his house and quit work to supervise him, which results in the pair living in a trailer.
At the football game, Dizzy, inspired by Mel Gibson in Braveheart, gives an impassioned speech to the team, who proceed to win their first game. He is soon enlisted by the coach and principal to plan the school's homecoming dance, and becomes imbued with school spirit, shedding his bad boy image.
However, Dizzy and Gil are fast becoming too big for one body. When Nora berates Dizzy for becoming the same person he once hated, he uses his newfound popularity to confront Connor. Dizzy and Danielle spur the students to reunite, and the lines dividing the different cliques are broken. With a new philosophy, the school football team begins to win games and bullying becomes a thing of the past.[1] Reaching the state championship, where they play Rocky Creek, Dizzy's antics on the sideline cost Rocky Creek the game, although Barclay recognizes his old punching bag. At school the next day, he attempts to beat up Dizzy, and is in turn attacked by the entire student body. After the attack, Connor helps up Barclay from the ground, telling him he wants to know what he knows (about Dizzy).
The homecoming dance, which Dizzy's funk band is supposed to play, is crashed by the students of Rocky Creek. Barclay and Connor, who have joined forces to set a trap for Dizzy, play an embarrassing video of the librarian incident. However, Luther and the other inmates arrive to save Dizzy and tie up the two bullies. Nora admits longstanding feelings for Glen, and Dizzy and Danielle reconcile.
Luther ends the film, and the man he is talking to is revealed to be David Hasselhoff (of Baywatch fame).
Cast
Cameo appearances
Soundtrack
Songs that are featured on the soundtrack :
- "The New Guy" by Mystikal
- "I'm Just a Kid" by Simple Plan
- "You Really Got Me" by Eve 6
- "Keep the Party Goin'" by Juvenile
- "So Fresh, So Clean" by OutKast
- "Outsider" by Green Day
- "Uh Huh" by B2K
- "So Dizzy" by Rehab
- "Breakout" by OPM
- "Dark Side" by Wheatus
- "I Love You" by Nine Days
- "Heart in Hand" by Vertical Horizon
- "Hi-Lo" by J.T. Money
- "Let It Whip" by SR-71
Songs that were featured in the movie but do not appear on the soundtrack include:
Reference
External links
