Orange County (2002)

Orange County is a 2002 film directed by Jake Kasdan and written by Mike White, frequent JB collaborator. Concerning the fate of one affluent OC ex-surfer and aspiring writer Shaun Brumder (Colin Hanks), Orange County charts Shaun's attempts to get into Stanford after a spaced-out guidance counsellor (Lili Tomlin) submits the wrong transcript. With the help of his ne'er-do-well brother Lance, Shaun storms the Stanford campus, accidentally getting the Dean of Admissions (Harold Ramis) high. Meanwhile, Lance is burning down the admissions building after a romantic encounter with the always-charming Jane Adams. Luckily, Shaun, in the depths of despair, encounters his literary idol Marcus Skinner (played by the very literary Kevin Kline), who convinces him that, hey, home is where the heart is, man, and didn't like Beckett and Joyce and those dudes write about their homes? So, like, maybe staying in OC isn't such a bad idea? Shaun sees the light and returns home to find that his wacky mom (Catherine O'Hara) and his wacky dad (John Lithgow) have gotten back together, which is like, pretty groovy actually. Everyone seems super happy that Shaun has decided to stay home and Shaun seems super happy that everyone is so super happy. And that's about it.

This movie is carried by a raft of excellent supporting performances, most notably by comedy genius Jack Black. Black delivers what may be his finest performance as the manic Lance, exuding his singular mixture of laconic puppy dog charm and high-keyed mischief. Harold Ramis' brief cameo is, like most of his acting work, endearingly (and knowingly) labored, but always appreciated. Mike White is great as the spaced-out English teacher, delivering an eternal lecture about Shakespeare, while Jane Adams is perfectly cast as the dowdy pyromaniac secretary.

Though the script often borders on parody, Orange County is a solid MTV slacker comedy. The tongue in cheek atmosphere of the whole thing, not to mention the great supporting cast, nudge this above your average MOR comedy fare. As usual, JB steals the show, proving again that he is the most charming man on the planet. His performance is delightful and it is a shame the writers couldn't find a way to fit him in even more.