Extremely frothy coming of age comedy that feels, often to its detriment, like the debut of an MTV generation film-maker. Jake Kasdan moved on in 2007 to make the genuinely amusing "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story", but here his use of pop music soundtracking and mere surface connection with characters make the movie a very forgettable sit. Visually it oscillates between trying too hard and not trying hard enough, an odd and distracting combination. In terms of guffaws it hits the odd home-run, but generally opts for mild smiles over belly laughs. Not sophisticated enough to resonate, and not funny enough to stir much enthusiasm. It's likable enough and boasts an early, awesome Jack Black turn, but ultimately "Orange County" is shrug-inducing fare. I certainly thought less of it now than I did back in 2002.

I love MTV Films. They somehow bring in fresh films out of tired plots. The story is nothing special, but the actors, the story, the situation somehow comes together to make something pretty good. Look what they did for Blades of Glory, Napoleon Dynamite and Election (I will ignore Crossroads as the exception to prove the rule).

This film is great, the story is fun, the characters are interesting, and even Jack Black fits in the film (which happens rarely). The funny thing is Colin Hanks. You watch him, and he is Tom Hanks. If this film was made in the 70s, Tom would have acted it in the exact same way. Its weird how similar they are. What happened to Colin? based on this film, he should be a bigger star as this was a joy to watch.

2.5 out of 5 (C+)

The specs on Orange County are pretty promising: Jack Black and Colin Hanks fronting a stacked cast of seasoned professional funny people, script from Mike White, and directed by Zero Effect's Jake Kasdan.

It ends up being fairly diverting comedy, but it never quite builds up enough momentum to be anything more. It also brings diminishing returns, getting less and less clever and more and more predictable as time passes.

Extremely frothy coming of age comedy that feels, often to its detriment, like the debut of an MTV generation film-maker. Jake Kasdan moved on in 2007 to make the genuinely amusing "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story", but here his use of pop music soundtracking and mere surface connection with characters make the movie a very forgettable sit. Visually it oscillates between trying too hard and not trying hard enough, an odd and distracting combination. In terms of guffaws it hits the odd home-run, but generally opts for mild smiles over belly laughs. Not sophisticated enough to resonate, and not funny enough to stir much enthusiasm. It's likable enough and boasts an early, awesome Jack Black turn, but ultimately "Orange County" is shrug-inducing fare. I certainly thought less of it now than I did back in 2002.

When an aspiring writer (Colin Hanks) with a dysfunctional family sees his attempts to get into Stanford University scuppered by an incompetent school administrator (Lily Tomlin), he decides to drive there to talk them round, with his girlfriend (Schuyler Fisk) and stoner brother (Jack Black) in tow. Fisk is excellent, Kevin Kline has an unexpectedly effective bit near the close and there are amusing cameos from Tomlin and Ben Stiller, but I found this an unimaginative, comedically lazy film, hampered by an emotional fraudulence that renders its stabs at poignancy completely hollow. It probably would have worked a bit better with Tom Hanks in the lead, mind. Even in 2002.

Not good

I love MTV Films. They somehow bring in fresh films out of tired plots. The story is nothing special, but the actors, the story, the situation somehow comes together to make something pretty good. Look what they did for Blades of Glory, Napoleon Dynamite and Election (I will ignore Crossroads as the exception to prove the rule).

This film is great, the story is fun, the characters are interesting, and even Jack Black fits in the film (which happens rarely). The funny thing is Colin Hanks. You watch him, and he is Tom Hanks. If this film was made in the 70s, Tom would have acted it in the exact same way. Its weird how similar they are. What happened to Colin? based on this film, he should be a bigger star as this was a joy to watch.

Super dated, with a cast of really strong comedic actors pretty much (Catherine O'Hara, John Lithgow, Chevy Chase, etc.) totally wasted.

7/25/02 - Orange County was an OK movie, but very funny at times. Jack Black was back to his hilarious self, in a smaller and crazy supporting role. The movie had lots of famous cameos. The DVD special feature interstitials were hilarious as well, especially the ones with Jack Black.