Movie Review by Neils Hesse
Starring: D J Qualls, Eliza Dushku, Lyle Lovett, Eddie Griffin, Zooey Deschanel, Parry Shen
Director: Ed Decter
Dizzy (DJ Qualls) is a high school loser and constant victim of abuse at the hands of all his school mates, except for his three childhood friends. It all gets out of control during an incident in the school cafeteria, which results in Dizzy spending some time in the local jail. While in jail he meets Luther (Eddie Griffin) who advises him to change schools and change his image, so after a few visits to the jail for some lessons from Luther on the ‘art of being cool’ Dizzy moves on to his new school.
After making a dramatic entrance at the new school Dizzy quickly becomes the school hero, even dating the top cheerleader Danielle (Eliza Dushku, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER). But by a twist of fate his path crosses with his former schoolmates, which cause disastrous consequences, forcing him into making a life altering decision. Which does he choose? Should he either hide from the truth or face it?
DJ Qualls is perfect as the loser turned cool dude and he handles both personalities effortlessly, while Eddie Griffin is very funny as the hardened prison guru, portraying the humour and prison attitude to perfection. Eliza Dushku plays a similar role to the one in BRING IT ON and breezes through her cheerleader role with the easy professionalism we have come to expect from such a talented actress.
Director Ed Decter competently manages to keep the humour balanced amongst his main characters as well as a host of hilarious celebrity cameos in THE NEW GUY, and he still succeeds in giving a good moral twist to the story.
With comedy, morality and High School life all rolled up into one sweet package, THE NEW GUY is definitely worth seeing.
