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17 Again Reviews

2009 Certificate 12
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 15,304 members

About a guy whose life didn't quite turn out how he wanted it to and wishes he could go back to high school and change it. He wakes up one day and is seventeen again and gets the chance to rewrite his life. Read more

Starring Matthew Perry, Zac Efron, Leslie Mann, Michelle Trachtenberg
Director Burr Steers
Genres Comedy

Buy From: £5.93

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  • Critics' reviews (3) of 17 Again

    View all
  • The leads are charming, the comedy well judged and the script, however predictable, sure-footed, playing on notions of midlife nostalgia with grace and integrity.

    • Time Out
  • 3 stars out of

    Updating the traditions of bodyswap comedy for teens weaned on High School Musical, this is light, forgettable... read more on Time Out

    • Tom Huddleston, 
    • Time Out
  • ...This Zac Efron comedy earns its laughs and delivers its life lessons

    • Hollywood Reporter
  • Most helpful members' reviews (3) of 17 Again

    View all
  • 111 out of 112 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    superb...............................

    this film is superb. The story is about popular high school senior Mike O'Donnell (played by Zac Efron) who has it all.

    He is a star athlete heading straight for a college scholarship, when he decides to give it all up, to settle down with his high school girlfriend Scarlet.

    Twenty five years later, an adult Mike (played by Matthew Perry) finds his life is not exactly what he expected. He is separated from his wife, Scarlett (played by Leslie Mann), and living with his best friend Ned Freedman (played by Thomas Lennon). His career at a pharmaceutical company is at a stand still, and his relationships with his teenage children are nonexistent.

    After getting passed up for yet another promotion at work, he returns to his high school to reminisce over his basketball awards, and the life he could have had. While he is reliving his past, he is approached by a janitor, and shares with him how things were so much better when he was 17.

    As Mike is driving home from the high school, he sees the mysterious janitor standing on the ledge preparing to jump into the Los Angeles River.

    Mike rushes out of his car to rescue him, but when he gets there, the janitor has vanished. What Mike doesn't realize is that he is about to fall into the river, and turn into his 17 year old self.

    Waht happens next.....? You will have to watch it to find out.

  • 14 out of 14 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    1/2 Amazing, 1/2 So-So

    You can't deny that the Zac Efron/Sterling Knight/Michelle Trachtenberg part of the film is excellent teen cinema. Zac Efron plays his role excellently and shows that he has a definite future outside of High School Musical. Plus, once they are allowed Michelle Trachtenberg and Sterling Knight are both very funny. If this was the whole film i would have given 17 Again 5*.

    However, there is the small matter of Matthew Perry and the rest of the adult cast. Matthew Perry is quite painful to watch, he seems wholly disintrested in the film. I couldn't take the woman who played the mum seriously as she was almost identical to her character that she played in George of the Jungle; oozing ditzy. The little gay guy who was supposed to be chasing the principal was good for a few laughs but seemed a little unrealistic.

    The adult cast really lets down the young actors in this film.

    Also, the story of the film is a little dodgy in places. Michelle Trachtenberg doesn't even speak for about the first half of the film and then she disappears right after she gets her character into a hilarious groove. Also, Sterling Knight is a central character in the film but somehow seems to get sidelined by the end. The script in some respects seems to be poorly scrambled together and leaves the film feeling like a half-finished thought.

    Therefore, 17 Again is well worth the trip down to the cinema but be prepared to feel somewhat dissatisfied by the failings of the script and the adult cast.

      • A customer from Dundee
  • 8 out of 8 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    A fantastic Rom Com!

    A wonderful light hearted romantic comedy, which will have you laughing away. Its fun to watch, and my favourite part is when he's comforting his daughter and she tries to kiss him (because she doesn't know he's her dad) and its halarious to see trying to stop her from kissing him! To be honest though, if I married Zac Efron and ended up with Matthew Perry, I think I'd divorce him too, other than that, the best movie I seen all year!

  • Most recent members' reviews (2) of 17 Again

    View all
  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Predictibal but good

    The actors are quite good, but the storyline has been done before just with a few details changed. I did quite enjoy it though it's surley one for the younger audience.

    Some of the characters though do make you wounder why they are there in the first place.

    Very good film to watch if you like 13 Going on 30 and High School Musical or just if your a Zach Efron Fan.

  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    * * * This review contains spoilers * * *ShowHide

    Rated - 1 star [Highly rated reviewer]

    17 again

      • litewate from Gillingham
  • 111 out of 112 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    superb...............................

    this film is superb. The story is about popular high school senior Mike O'Donnell (played by Zac Efron) who has it all.

    He is a star athlete heading straight for a college scholarship, when he decides to give it all up, to settle down with his high school girlfriend Scarlet.

    Twenty five years later, an adult Mike (played by Matthew Perry) finds his life is not exactly what he expected. He is separated from his wife, Scarlett (played by Leslie Mann), and living with his best friend Ned Freedman (played by Thomas Lennon). His career at a pharmaceutical company is at a stand still, and his relationships with his teenage children are nonexistent.

    After getting passed up for yet another promotion at work, he returns to his high school to reminisce over his basketball awards, and the life he could have had. While he is reliving his past, he is approached by a janitor, and shares with him how things were so much better when he was 17.

    As Mike is driving home from the high school, he sees the mysterious janitor standing on the ledge preparing to jump into the Los Angeles River.

    Mike rushes out of his car to rescue him, but when he gets there, the janitor has vanished. What Mike doesn't realize is that he is about to fall into the river, and turn into his 17 year old self.

    Waht happens next.....? You will have to watch it to find out.

  • 14 out of 14 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    1/2 Amazing, 1/2 So-So

    You can't deny that the Zac Efron/Sterling Knight/Michelle Trachtenberg part of the film is excellent teen cinema. Zac Efron plays his role excellently and shows that he has a definite future outside of High School Musical. Plus, once they are allowed Michelle Trachtenberg and Sterling Knight are both very funny. If this was the whole film i would have given 17 Again 5*.

    However, there is the small matter of Matthew Perry and the rest of the adult cast. Matthew Perry is quite painful to watch, he seems wholly disintrested in the film. I couldn't take the woman who played the mum seriously as she was almost identical to her character that she played in George of the Jungle; oozing ditzy. The little gay guy who was supposed to be chasing the principal was good for a few laughs but seemed a little unrealistic.

    The adult cast really lets down the young actors in this film.

    Also, the story of the film is a little dodgy in places. Michelle Trachtenberg doesn't even speak for about the first half of the film and then she disappears right after she gets her character into a hilarious groove. Also, Sterling Knight is a central character in the film but somehow seems to get sidelined by the end. The script in some respects seems to be poorly scrambled together and leaves the film feeling like a half-finished thought.

    Therefore, 17 Again is well worth the trip down to the cinema but be prepared to feel somewhat dissatisfied by the failings of the script and the adult cast.

      • A customer from Dundee
  • 8 out of 8 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    A fantastic Rom Com!

    A wonderful light hearted romantic comedy, which will have you laughing away. Its fun to watch, and my favourite part is when he's comforting his daughter and she tries to kiss him (because she doesn't know he's her dad) and its halarious to see trying to stop her from kissing him! To be honest though, if I married Zac Efron and ended up with Matthew Perry, I think I'd divorce him too, other than that, the best movie I seen all year!

  • 5 out of 5 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    enjoyable

    Well i never really thought i'd ever say this but Zac Effron......yummy!!! and yes i'm old enough to be his mother!! I didn't have any hesitation in taking my little ones to see this film (In fact it was my idea!) and it was very enjoyable. I just wish the cinema wasn't soooo expensive!!!!!!!!

      • Jules from Suffolk, England
  • 4 out of 4 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Amazing!!!

    Went to see this in the cinema last night and was laughing out loud for the majority of the film.

    Love Zac Efron from High School Musical but really looking forward to his future career as he looks really promising! Had the 'grown man trapped in a young body' acting spot on! Teamed with that he was GORGEOUS!!!

    Go Zac!!!

      • A customer from Manchester
  • 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    fantastic

    think 17 again was a fantastic film for all the family had everything you would want in a film.

    would definetly watch this again and again.

      • gazza123 from London
  • 3 out of 3 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    Great family film

    All the family enjoyed this film, It's slightly cheesy at times but has some great humour in it. Zac keeps the ladies happy, I found myself swooning over him at times, Hope my hubby and the kids didn't notice.

      • SARAH CLIFFORD from England
  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 0 stars [Highly rated reviewer]

    IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME.

    The Body swap concept of the film is nothing new. Body swap comedies have been around for years the best being Tom Hanks's 1988 smash BIG, but with a megga star like Efron on the rise and a funny and clever script, this movie is nothing less than very enjoyable. Sure some so called movie critics will argue that this is light weight stuff, but that's the whole point of the film, it aims nothing more to be but light weight and great fun. This is a simple but very funny fantasy, that being in my mid-thirties myself hits a bullseye with the thought if I could turn back the clock 20 years what would I change?

    Sure my hair has thinned, and my six-pack has gone. But watching this film in the cinema with my eleven year old daughter, and seeing the expression of Joy on her face as she oggles Zac Efron's six-pack and pecks, what would I change?......'Not a damn thing!'

    The simple fact is 17 Again is brilliant simple fun that is just a pleasure to watch. With all the troubles in the world at the moment, news of the Global ressesion worsening and the planet tearing it's self apart. This movie is a great tonic.

    • MAVERICK
      • MAVERICK from Knottingley
  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 5 stars

    I loved this predicable film

    such an enjoyable film - nothing much to the plot which you wouldn't expect but it was still really fun to watch. Zac Efrom was amazing in it and actually showed he could act (who would have thought) Really recommend

      • ShonaRob from London
  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Loved it!

    This was a really good film. Not as funny as i'd hoped (hence 4 stars not 5) but there were a few laughs along the way and I really enjoyed it. I very sweet family film. Definitely worth a watch!

      • Stef from wilts
  • Critics' reviews (3)

  • The leads are charming, the comedy well judged and the script, however predictable, sure-footed, playing on notions of midlife nostalgia with grace and integrity.

    • Time Out
  • 3 stars out of

    Updating the traditions of bodyswap comedy for teens weaned on High School Musical, this is light, forgettable... read more on Time Out

    • Tom Huddleston, 
    • Time Out
  • ...This Zac Efron comedy earns its laughs and delivers its life lessons

    • Hollywood Reporter

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    • A former high school basketball star gets a second shot at life when he's miraculously transformed into a teenager and offered the opportunity to redefine his future. Back in 1989, Mike O' Donnell (...

    • 17 Again
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    • About a guy whose life didn't quite turn out how he wanted it to and wishes he could go back to high school and change it. He wakes up one day and is seventeen again and gets the chance to rewrite ...

Rating breakdown

15,304 Member ratings
  • 100
1,999
  • 90
1,034
  • 80
4,086
  • 70
3,486
  • 60
2,967
  • 50
747
  • 40
540
  • 30
129
  • 20
198
  • 10
118

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