I know that most will not agree with me but this is not only a phenomenally funny movie but also a great film as well. I saw it at midnight with a theater chalk full of jizz jocks and sweatpant shorties and it was f**king awesome. The energy was palpable in the extreme and from the very first line the crowd was hooked, or rather, fully inebriated by characters they relate to, want to be or actually are. I would argue that the only way this movie could be truly enjoyed is to be viewed in the company of it's subjects.
Yes, this is a movie about teens, for teens and for all I know, made by teens. Like Chronicle, from a few weeks ago, Project X presents itself to be a type of the found footage genre. I think the content was the absolutely perfect choice for the particular vibe that this handheld genre gives. It's your best friends birthday so you film it, right? Not that hard to believe.
Project X's greatness, to me, lies not in the superficial jokes and inane crudities but in the subtext of what I think most teens, especially in America, yearn to be apart of; for they are the most natural reasons on earth - the chance to meet the opposite sex with high libido and low inhibition. Just being in the atmosphere of chance is exciting. Lets not even try to think about the morality involved - they are throwing a party because they must, it's not even a question whether thats good or bad idea, it's innate for every adolescent, party or die.
Although I suspect many non-teens will just see this film as just another disgusting teen sex/drug raunch fest showcasing what they hate most about todays generation of young people - I would beg them to reconsider and ask them to remember when they were in high school. It would be nearly impossible to eclipse the aura of what Project X captured - the ultimate life celebration fantasy for a teenager. Hardly any other teen film has captured the party aesthetic so well despite how unreal the party became. The film capitalized on this in the best possible way by the greatest possible archetypes with the most stellar style. Did I mention that I could barley keep my intestines from exploding with savage hysterics.
Project X is a near perfect movie - it doesn't try to manipulate you - it gives you what you want and doesn't seem to overdo it in a cliche way. The movie knows and understands itself - no more, no less. The guy gets the girl, throws the best party ever, attains self respect, gets screwed by his friends and then redeemed, rebels against his parents, destroys all material possessions, overcomes fear, becomes loved by peers, cashes in on fantasies, and most of all becomes a stronger, better person in spite of it. All I can say is, X marks the spot.
Recommended Viewing: Superbad - The Breakfast Club - Animal House
Bob Scale: Objective: 8.0 - Subjective: 9.4
MetaCritic: 50
Rotten Tomatoes: 27
IMDB: 5.8
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