Role Models

Loud, lewd, formulaic, and, yes, hilarious, ROLE MODELS is a mish-mash -- everything from medieval reenactments to middle school shares screen time -- that's hugely fun to watch. Rudd is a malcontent extraordinaire. Danny is joyless, picks fights with baristas over how their coffee is named, delivers anti-drug speeches as if he's heavily tranquilized, and can't be bothered to act like a decent boyfriend. But here's the thing: No matter how crass and negative he gets, he's still likeable, and Rudd's innate amiability serves him well in the role. Scott has a little less to work with -- he ratchets up the doofus level a bit too much -- but he still manages to be winning.

That said, it's the "little brothers" -- they call them "littles" -- who steal the show, especially Thompson, who seems, in the best way, a loose little cannon (his command of swear words shocks and awes). As the loopy, edgy Sturdy Wings director, Jane Lynch is inspired casting, but Banks is window dressing, as is some of the crazy-quilt plot. Bottom line? Role Models is no comedy classic (Judd Apatow, you can keep your crown), and sometimes it feels like director David Wain barely retains control. But funny? For the most part, it is.