17 Again is a 2009 American comedy film directed by Burr Steers. It is the story of 35-year-old Mike (Matthew Perry) who becomes a 17-year-old high school student (Zac Efron) after a chance accident. The film was released in the United States on April 17, 2009. It was set in 2007 (it was originally supposed to be released in 2008, but was delayed until the following year), as evidenced by the date on the cell phones of several students (during a scene where Efron is beaten up by the school bully), and also by the age of Mike and Scarlett's eldest child, Maggie (she's a 17 or 18 year old high school senior)

Plot

In 1989, 17 year-old Mike O'Donnell learns from his girlfriend Scarlett that she is pregnant during the start of his high school championship basketball game. Moments after the game begins, he abandons the game and goes after Scarlett.

Nearly 18 years later, Mike finds his life stalled. Scarlett has separated from him due to his regrets about abandoning college, forcing him to move in with his geeky and wealthy best friend since high school, Ned Gold. At his job we see another reason for his frustration as he is significantly older than most of his co workers and he passed over a promotion he deserves in favor of a much younger female worker, he gets fired from his job (after smashing his boss's bluetooth against the wall) and his high school-age children Maggie and Alex (Maggie is 17 or 18 but we never discover how old Alex actually is) want nothing to do with him. Later, while visiting his high school to reminisce, an encounter with a mysterious janitor transforms Mike into his 17 year-old self.

Given the chance to re-live his youth, Mike enrolls in high school posing as Mark Gold, Ned's son, and plans to go to college with a basketball scholarship. As he befriends his children, however, Mike comes to believe that his mission is to help them. Mike comforts Maggie when her boyfriend Stan, the captain of the basketball team, dumps her. With his help, Alex overcomes Stan's bullying to obtain a place with Mike on the basketball team and the girlfriend he desires.

Through their children Mike spends time with Scarlett, who is attracted to his remarkable resemblance to her husband in high school. Mike has difficulty resisting his desire for her despite the relationship's apparent inappropriateness. At the same time, he must fend off Maggie's amorous advances (completely unaware that he is her father). Meanwhile, Ned courts Jane Masterson, the high school principal who shares a mutual interest in The Lord of the Rings.

Mike soon realizes that Scarlett is the "best decision" he had ever made and finally realizes that his own selfishness has driven his family away tries to re-unite with her and unsuccessfully explains to her that he is actually Mike, her husband. On the day of the court hearing to finalize Scarlett and Mike's divorce, Mike makes one last attempt to win her back (as Mark) by reading a supposed letter from Mike. He states that although he couldn't set things right in the beginning of his life, it doesn't extinguish the fact that he still loves her since that day. After he exits, Scarlett notices that the "letter" is actually the directions to the courtroom and she begins to grow curious. During a high school basketball game, Mike reveals himself to Scarlett. As Scarlett once again runs away down the hall, Mike decides to chase her down once more, but not before handing the ball off to his son. Mike is then transformed back into his 35 year-old self and is reunited with Scarlett. Meanwhile, Ned and Jane begin dating and Mike is hired as the high school's new basketball coach.

Cast

• Zac Efron as Mike O'Donnell (17 years old)
• Matthew Perry as Mike O'Donnell (35 years old)
• Thomas Lennon as Ned Gold (35 years old)
• Michelle Trachtenberg as Margret "Maggie" O'Donnell
• Sterling Knight as Alex O'Donnell
• Leslie Mann as Scarlet O'Donnell (35 years old)
• Hunter Parrish as Stan
• Katerina Graham as Jamie
• Melora Hardin as Principal Jane Masterson
• Jim Gaffigan as Coach Murphy
• Drew Sidora as Cameron
• Tiya Sircar as Samantha
• Vanessa Lee Chester as Karla
• Nicole Sullivan as Naomi
• Adam Gregory as Dom
• Brian Doyle-Murray as The Janitor
• Margaret Cho as Health Teacher
• Allison Miller as Scarlet O'Donnell (17 years old)
• Tyler Steelman as Ned Gold (17 years old)
• Josie Loren as Nicole
• Vince Vaughn as Narrator

Reception

Critical reception

The film received mixed reviews, with a 55% "rotten" rating from film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes based on 143 critic reviews. The consensus was that "though it uses a well-worn formula, 17 Again has just enough Zac Efron charm to result in a harmless, pleasurable teen comedy." ^[3] Also, on Metacritic it received a score of 48 out of 100 based on 27 critic reviews.

Box office

17 Again, which cost an estimated $20 million, was a commercial success with a worldwide gross of over $136 million.^[2]

Soundtrack

17 Again: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack was released on April 21, 2009 by New Line Records.^[4]

Track listing

1. "On My Own" by Vincent and The Villains
2. "Can't Say No" by The Helio Sequence
3. "L.E.S. Artistes" by Santigold
4. "Naïve" by The Kooks
5. "This Is Love" by Toby Lightman
6. "You Really Wake Up the Love in Me" by The Duke Spirit
7. "The Greatest" by Cat Power
8. "Rich Girls" by The Virgins
9. "This Is for Real" by Motion City Soundtrack
10. "Drop" by Ying Yang Twins
11. "Cherish" by Kool & The Gang
12. "Bust a Move" by Young MC
13. "Danger Zone" by Kenny Loggins

Additional music credits

• "Kid" by The Pretenders
• "Nookie" by Limp Bizkit
• "The Underdog" by Spoon
• "High School Never Ends" by Bowling for Soup (Used in movie trailer/commercial)
• "Push It Fergasonic (DJ Axel Mashup)" by Fergie, Salt-n-Pepa, JJ Fad

The orchestral score was written by Rolfe Kent and orchestrated by Tony Blondal. It was recorded at Skywalker Sound

References

External links

• Official website
• 17 Again at the Internet Movie Database
• 17 Again at AllRovi
• 17 Again at Box Office Mojo
• 17 Again at Rotten Tomatoes