Every high school has a bully. There is always one kid who has some odd set of issues and has decided to take it out on the puny and helpless members of their high school. But it’s doubtful that in the colorful history of American high schools that many of those scrawny victims have ever hired a body guard to deal with their bully.
Ryan (Troy Gentile) and Wade (Nate Hartley) are about to start their first day of high school. A dynamic duo, Wade is a meek and geeky kid with gangly arms and a squeaky voice. Ryan on the other hand, is short, heavy set and has an affected Brooklyn accent that is supposed to make him sound tough. What both boys share in common is the tyranny of the bully Filkins (Alex Frost). Along with their newfound and equally awkward tag-along Emmit (David Dorfman), the boys decide to enlist the help of a “budget body guard.” This body guard turns out to be an Army deserter and homeless bum, Drillbit Taylor (Owen Wilson). What the boys don’t know is that Drillbit doesn’t know the first thing about self-defense, and is actually looking to swindle the boys out of their hard earned milk money.
“Drillbit Taylor” actually spends more time on the struggles of the kids. For that, Wilson almost acts as a secondary character, though he is largely responsible for the laughs the film elicits. Had the role of Drillbit been played by anyone else, the movie would have been a solid dud. But Wilson’s brand of cocky and at times outrageous humor, keeps this movie afloat as does the endearing characters of Ryan and Wade.
The movie evokes all the awkward feelings of the very awkward adolescent age, which in some ways, do not work to the movie’s advantage. At times, the antics of Filkins are so humiliating that the audience has a hard time laughing at the plight of his prey. The movie decides to split the difference, however, and gives the audience moments where they can either laugh callously and not sympathize, or sympathize and not really laugh. The movie also utilizes the Hollywood stereotype of clueless parents and sharp kids, a device that is as beleaguering as it is unrealistic.
Ultimately, “Drillbit Taylor” is not necessarily a funny movie, but a movie with some funny moments. Had director Steven Brill who helmed such projects as the “Mighty Ducks” trilogy and “Without a Paddle,” kept as much emphasis on the ensuing action as he did on the comedic moments of the movie, “Drillbit Taylor” would have been a very impressive comedy. But with a slew of formulas and overused cinematic devices, it seems as though the film makers simply tried to coast on the bare minimum. The end result is a movie with some remarkably funny moments but is just another average film on the list of Wilson’s performances.