Title: Premature
Director: Dan Beers
Cast: Alan Tudyk, John Karna, Katie Findlay, Craig Roberts, Carlson Young, Katie Kneeland, Steve Coulter, and Adam Riegler
While the teenage sex comedy genre is pretty well-worn territory at this point, a movie like “Premature” is a breath of fresh air for the genre. It seems like many Hollywood movie studios are unwilling to produce films that aren’t equally high concept and raunchy, but “Premature” manages to pull both off while being both funny and clever. At times, the film does seem clichéd and wrote, but I feel that’s just the trappings of the genre. Let’s take a look, shall we…
The film follows Rob (John Karna), a teenage high school student who finds himself re-living one of the most important days in his young life again and again. However, Rob has to orgasm (there’s no other way to put it) to reset the day. The film starts off with Rob having a wet dream, only to find himself waking up with stained underwear. This is the “I’ve got you, babe” starting point of the film. He gets ready for school and an interview to attend Georgetown University, the college his father wants him to go to. We met Rob’s friends, the over-sexed Stanley (Craig Roberts) and the girl next door (Katie Findlay), and experience what a typical day is like for the high school student. He gets bullied by the school’s volleyball team and seduced by the school’s hottest and unattainable girl Angela Yearwood (Carlson Young), as he’s mistreated by the school’s teachers and administrators.
“Premature” works like a teen sex comedy version of “Groundhog Day” or “Edge of Tomorrow.” It’s a unique look at the genre, while delivering something all too familiar. Now I liked “Premature” for its willingness to be risqué and oversexed, but the film’s overall story does seem like we’ve seen this all before. It also seems like that’s the point of the movie. Much like the idea of repeating the same events again and again, the film’s director and co-screenwriter Dan Beers (Mathew Harawitz is the other credited screenwriter) delivers a film that repeats the same tropes and clichés of the teen sex comedy genre. I really wish Beers had enough courage to go into another direction once that conceit is presented. After all, the character Rob learns that he can change the day’s events and take advantage of the film’s repeating nature, so why couldn’t “Premature’s” filmmakers do the same.
Overall, “Premature” is a film that should be watched if you’re looking for big laughs. It’s a movie from the same tradition as “American Pie,” “Porky’s,” and “Can’t Hardly Wait.” However, it’s also a film that rests entirely too hard on its genre trappings and tropes. Once you get a taste of what’s going on in the movie, you’ll understand and see exactly where it’s going. The filmmakers don’t take advantage of its time travel premise, although its characters do time and time again. Perhaps “Premature” is a bit undercooked, but it’s still a satisfying film, albeit not as lasting as you’d come to expect.
Technical: C-
Story: B-
Acting: B-
Overall: C
