Van Wilder: Freshman Year

Van Wilder: Freshman Year is a comedy movie released in 2009 that serves as a delightful prequel to the National Lampoon’s Van Wilder franchise. The film, directed by Harvey Glazer, stars Jonathan Bennett, Kristin Cavallari, Kurt Fuller, and Steve Talley. It charts the hilarious adventures of the protagonist, Van Wilder, played by Jonathan Bennett, and his arrival at Coolidge College. With a broad palette of humor, the film offers many entertaining reasons for why Van became the legendary party liaison he is known to be in the franchise's original.

The movie begins with the laid-back and charismatic Van Wilder embarking on his journey as a freshman at Coolidge College, thinking he is about to enjoy the best four years of his life filled with parties, girls, and fun. However, things take a surprising turn when he realizes that Coolidge is not the party central he dreamt it would be, but rather a strict, religious school with a harsh military program led by the authoritative Dean Charles Reardon, played by Kurt Fuller.

In this religiously rigid institution, Van Wilder finds himself as a misfit. He yearns for the free-spirited social life he was anticipating and is disappointed to discover a college that's devoid of fun and parties. Worst of all, even the college's hottest girls, including Kaitlin Hays (played by Kristin Cavallari), the daughter of a conservative senator, seem unimpressed by his playful charm and firmly out of reach.

Irked by the school’s stuffy environment and Dean Reardon's controlling regime, Van Wilder decides to breathe life into the college. To do this, he begins pulling off a series of humorous pranks and stunts, challenging the stern rules and restrictions imposed by the Dean. This leads Van Wilder into a constant tug of war situation with the Dean, and he becomes a thorn in his side with his endless antics.

In his campaign to revolutionize the dull and dry college life, he faces stiff opposition in the form of the college's ROTC leader and star footballer, Dirk Arnold, amusingly played by Steve Talley. Dirk, as the antagonist, is the polar opposite of Van, serving as a perfect foil to his prankster personality. He shows no sympathy for Van's endeavor to reshape the college scene and remains locked in battle with him throughout the film.

Sequences of Van's comical quests to break free from the college's restrictive environment and transform his fellow students into party animals are effortlessly mixed with an undercurrent of teenage romance. Van's persistent attempts to woo the uptight Kaitlin Hays add more humorous layers to the plot. This entertaining dance of romance not only provides several funny moments but also underlines the ongoing clash between Van's free-spirit and the strictly conservative environment of Coolidge College.

The storyline also weaves in some genuine moments of friendship and camaraderie, especially between Van and his long-time friend and roommate, Farley, played by Nestor Aaron Absera. Through comic capers, bromance, and a touch of romance, the film paints a humorously exaggerated yet relatable picture of college life.

Further, Jonathan Bennett excels in his role, doing justice to the character originally played by Ryan Reynolds in the first Van Wilder film. He effortlessly portrays a goofball who is always ready with a wisecrack. Kristin Cavallari, as the tough-to-get love interest, Kaitlin Hays, delivers a strong performance, while Kurt Fuller makes an excellent antagonist as Dean Reardon.

On the whole, Van Wilder: Freshman Year offers continuous laughs with its signature blend of coming-of-age humor, romantic comedy, and a generous dose of pranks and puns. The movie provides an entertaining explanation for Van Wilder's legendary status at Coolidge and is a must-see for anyone who's a fan of college comedies or the Van Wilder franchise.