Hi! I'm a Mac (Accepted)

Why do we watch far-fetched comedies? I ask myself this upon second viewing of Accepted. I thought the reason would be Justin Long. It wasn't. I didn't love Justin Long in the smart-guy Van Wilder-esque role he plays in this movie. The smart guy who has everything figured out but yet isn't able to get into any college for which he applies. He's highly likable and his shady ways seem endearing and with heart. Still, I can't say anything that I found about him funny.
What I did find funny: Lewis Black delivering lines as Lewis Black. I also liked the evolving talents of Jonah Hill, who we see everywhere now, it seems, but, possibly, made his debut appearance in Accepted. He's a little shy, a lot awkward, and has the scream of a 10-year-old girl. Hill seems to make up for the laughs missing elsewhere in the movie.

I've said it for years. I have a weakness for dumb comedies. There are those that aren't high in quality or believability. Accepted falls into this category easily. It doesn't hurt that I too like Justin Long and his Macintosh commercials. Enter Bartleby - or B. He's a guy always trying to buck the system with schemes and facilitating rebellion. However, in his quest to make fake IDs for friends and pull the wool over eyes of teachers and administrators - he failed to do one thing - get into college. The pressure he feels from the disappointment his parents have in him motivates him - with the help of his best friend, Sherman - to created a fake website and letter of acceptance for the South Harmon Institute of Technology. Yes - S.H.I.T. - where you can follow your dreams - and everyone is accepted. When dad gives B $10,000 for his first semester's tuition - Bartleby and his friends rent a dilapidated, closed-down mental hospital and attempt to turn it into their S.H.I.T.

The rest of the story will be about how Bartelby and his friends continue to feign college life and attempt to provide some sort of educational institution to others. The parents stop by for a visit and reality is dodged on several instances. At a huge party of a fake college we are introduced to random characters one-by-one and realize that every ones hero in Bartelby also is soon to become every ones huge let down. We know the big reveal is coming but just not sure when, where, or to what degree. That is one truly great thing about dumb/far-fetched comedies, you can get away with, basically, anything. The story can stray, skateboarding can be a college course, and the resolve can be incredibly planned and tie-up perfectly.

You forgot about the girl Alicia. Bartleby has admired the token blond from afar throughout all of high school - and the hero that he becomes at South Harmon provides the confidence to win her love - regardless of the popular boyfriend she followed to a prestigious college. Of course, we know that Bartleby will end up with her, and we know that her boyfriend will be B's main protagonist. The problem with this is Bartleby really isn't that different than he was in high school. You get the feeling that Justin Long's B has always been liked - and there's no reason for him to not have approached her in high school. I had fun with this movie, but it's a weaker version of Animal House or Van Wilder. Though neither of those two are perfect comedies - but the key to those two is the cool factor of Van Wilder or Bluto or Otter. I do think Bartleby is cool by the time the South Harmon is opened for enrollment, Justin Long's attempt at playing the nervous, clunky, awkward 18 year old doesn't seem to fit with what he becomes. He says, "It's a Renter." I can honestly say that I bought this blind in hopes of it to be a new Animal House or Superbad - but it really only had a few moments that I laughed out loud at. There are things that you'll like about this movie, but if you can't displace your disbelief - you'll be frustrated with it.