Helmed by first-time director Steve Pink, “Accepted” is one of those movies that surprises you as it unfolds on the screen. One gets the idea from the trailer that all the comedic bits are right there in the preview, but that’s definitely not the case. Not only is “Accepted” consistently funny, but it contains a message that few college films manage to get across: college isn’t for everyone.
The film follows Bartleby Gaines, played by Frat Pack pledge Justin Long, known from “Dodgeball,” “The Break Up,” and those great Mac commercials. Bartleby doesn’t manage to make it into any of the schools he’s applied to, not because he’s dumb, but because he’s “too average.” Frustrated and embarrassed, Bartleby invents his own school, the South Harmon Institute of Technology, in order to gain back some respect from his parents. But the façade looks a little too real, and hundreds of other “rejects” show up at South Harmon’s door.
The miraculous part of “Accepted” is that, as Bartleby begins to buy into his own con, so does the audience. Though Bartleby is pulling one over on pretty much everyone in the movie, he is so likable that we root for him to succeed. In this way, “Accepted” harkens back to the golden age of teen comedies, destined to be included in the ranks with “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and “Revenge of the Nerds.”
While Justin Long’s slacker charm definitely carries the film, there are other stellar performances among the cast. Jonah Hill, who plays Bartleby’s best friend Sherman Schrader, portrays an endearingly pathetic wannabe fraternity man at the nearby university. Comedian Lewis Black also takes a wild turn as the ex-professor turned South Harmon dean. It is Lewis’ spontaneous (but never unwanted) rants that make this film yearn to hold an R rating, rather than its PG-13. (Would it be too much to hope for an unrated version on DVD?)
All in all, what makes “Accepted” such a surprise is its intelligent commentary on class and social structure and its genuine characters. It may sound cheesy, but the film has heart. That, along with the standout performances, gives “Accepted” an energy that will keep audiences smiling- or at least grinning with mischievous glee.
