Reviewed by GREG KING
Director: Wally Wolodarsky
Stars: Michael Rosenbaum, Harland Williams, Barry Watson
Following in the stiletto heels of such cross-dressing classics as Some Like It Hot and Tootsie comes this rather feeble, laboured and largely unfunny sophomoric comedy. Sorority Boys is yet another film in the recent string of juvenile college comedies full of gross out and potentially offensive moments (Not Another Teen Movie, Van Wilder: Party Liaison, etc), but ultimately seems like a tired cross between Animal House and Tootsie.
When they are framed for the loss of social club money, womanising college boys Dave (Barry Watson, from Teaching Mrs Tingle, etc), Adam (Michael Rosenbaum) and Doofer (Harland Williams) are thrown out of their fraternity. In an attempt to sneak back inside their dorm and uncover the evidence to clear themselves, the three disguise themselves as women and land accommodation in the all-female fraternity house of Delta Omega Gamma (or DOG, as the film so subtly puts it), which is a refuge for girls who are outcasts because of their imperfections and average looks. Over the next few days, the three come to empathise with the girls and the sexist treatment they receive on campus.
However, any effort at social comment and an intelligent look at the inequality between the sexes is lost amidst juvenile farce and some gross out humour. There is a distinct lack of subtlety and inspiration about the material here as screenwriters Joe Jarvis and Greg Coolidge aim for the lowest common denominator. Like the Farrelly brothers and their recent Shallow Hal, the writers of Sorority Boys seem to want to make a serious comment about treating people with respect and tolerance, yet they also want to poke cruel fun at the same people for their imperfections and flaws.
Director Wally Wolodarsky (who used to be a writer on The Simpsons, and whose first feature film was the little seen comedy Cold Blooded), seems unable to wring much mirth out of the tired situations here.
The three young stars throw themselves into their roles with an enthusiasm unwarranted by the material, while some of the original Animal House cast appear as former graduates anxious to maintain some of the traditions and oddball rituals of their fraternity.
Sorority Boys begins with some awkward and largely unfunny moments set during a rowdy frat party, but slowly improves as it progresses. Unfortunately though, it doesn’t improve enough to make it onto the “must-see” list of teen comedies this holiday season!
★☆
