aramis-112-804880 A bit of a disappointing entry from Savage Steve Holland, after the wacky promise of "Better Off Dead" and "One Crazy Summer." There's nothing wrong with the movie. It's quite as good as, if not a cut above, a lot of the teen/high school/college movies going around theaters in the 1980s. I hoped it might be a wacky satire on the struggle to get into college -- a kind of "Johnny Be Good" with laughs and biting satire, which "JBG" lacked.Instead, the movie is a comparatively straightforward effort from Holland, perhaps because he was not the original director but inherited a mess from someone else.Corey Parker makes an engaging lead. He lacks the aplomb of John Cusack, Holland's previous star, but he does a good job as a guy who is unlikely to get into either the college or the girl.The girl is played by Lara Flynn Boyle ("Twin Peaks") in a surprisingly funny role. The girls in movies of this ilk usually are the ones who have it together. In "How I Got into College" Boyle's character starts off having it together but it starts coming apart early and only gets worse.Anthony Edwards ("Revenge of the Nerds")is a disappointment . It's not really his fault. He's stuck with a blah role that comes off blah. There isn't much he can do but play it straight. The cast surrounding Edwards, including Charlie Rocket playing one of his patented jerks, does not often interact with the rest of the characters in the film. A subplot involving Tichina Arnold is rewarding but too serious for anyone expecting an in-kind followup to Holland's previous movies.The biggest disappointment is that the snooty, exclusive college comprising the hub of the picture is treated with reverence. A place like that might have been ripe for Holland's brand of satire. The movie might have been even better if it revealed the small college as a cliquish club, and represented the struggle to make it as ultimately futile. Instead, entry into the club is treated as a prize worth winning.Still, the movie has lots of humorous touches, whether from the writers or from Holland. A marathoner puffing on a cigarette while he runs. Curtis Armstrong (a Holland regular) as a Bible-college spokesman (warning, targeted to be offensive to religious sensibilities). And the whole preppy-girl story arc. Oh, and Phil Hartman in a tiny role. And the biggest laugh I got came from the pay-off about the girl with the orthodontic head-set.If you've seen Mr. Holland's opuses "Better Off Dead" and "One Crazy Summer" and hope for more of the same, you're mostly out of luck. This is a relatively intelligent, serio-comedic, treatment of the struggle of teens to find an institution of higher learning, which occasionally deviates into unexplored Savage Steve territory.

ss97-1 This is one of those movies that few people seem to know about. And those that do seem to either love it or hate it. I would consider myself on the former curve of that scale, I like it a lot but I don't love it.What this movie is, is a fun and light comedy that only briefly touches on any sort of real world lesson. But it does send a positive message loud and clear. It says that if you want something bad enough, you can make it happen with some hard work and a bit of luck. It does so in a basic way, but nonetheless it makes the point.The movie itself is not filled with huge memorable laughs. There are some common and lame gags, helped along by some big talents like Anthony Edwards and the late great Charles Rocket. But what the movie lacks in classic moments, it makes up for in interesting and sometimes twisted moments that leave you smirking. It is not a laugh fest, but it is a smile maker that will make you chuckle at times.The movie also has a lot of visual gags that often escape attention the first time around. You can see the subtle "Better Off Dead" ties all over the place in style and of course the several actors that were on both movies. The two movies do not really compare beyond that.Lara Flynn Boyle is as lovable as she ever has been in this role. Her portrayal of the All-American "loved by all" High School girl is well done. She and Corey Parker pull off a believable chemistry, as this is probably his defining role. Parker is a good underdog without being an underdog. Its never hard to believe that his character could pull off the things he does by winning over the Prom Queen or getting into the college of his dreams.All in all this movie is a lot of fun and deserves some props. If you like goofy and fun movies you will like this one. If you are looking for Oscar caliber entertainment you will not get past the first scene anyway so you won't care.

Cate Savage Steve Holland's films should be considered gems amongst pop culture comedy. How I Got Into College is one shining example of his few too many films. In this clarified and easygoing flick about college stress, it accurately portrays irrational teenage fears with the help of an endearing front-man, Marlon Brown. The humor is quirky and unexpected, but that's a part of what makes it funny. The best part about Holland's humor is that it is always out of this world and always honest at the same time, creating a world that a lot of people are familiar with in their own heads. This movie can be enjoyed by college hopefuls, kids or old fogeys like my grandpa, who loves it. Some highlights include the young Lara Flynn Boyle, Phil Hartman in his prime and SAT ridicule that will make every high school kid breathe more easily.

Pro Jury A pet peeve here. This is another movie about high school kids void of high school aged kids. Everyone looks to be about 26 1/2 years old including the two lead actors. Anthony Edwards and Corey Parker in real life are exactly three years apart in age, but the characters they play are not meant to be close in age. One is a high school aged kid applying for college. The other has graduated from the university, perhaps graduate school as well, and has now worked his way up one step above an entry-level position to be an assistant dean of admissions at the same institute of higher learning. The problem remains, they both look to be 26 1/2 years old.