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Accepted

A twist on college failure and acceptance, this film is a cross between Van Wilder and Animal House. In the end, Accepted is a poignant look at outcasts and the fight to belong. It’s hard to fail at everything, but the main character is well-aquainted with this phenomenon.

Bartleby “B” Gaines has been rejected from every school he’s applied to, even if it was simply a backup option or a joke. Although he has pulled off cons in the past, even the master can’t talk his way out of trouble when his parents find out he didn’t get into college. So, he finds a way to get in. He creates a fake college, and in an attempt to make it look real (and fool his father), his friend builds a website for the South Harmon Institute of Technology where “acceptance is just one click away.” B himself designs a letter, and the combination of both leads his dad to write a check.

When a couple of his friends find out they are similarly afflicted with failure, they beg for letters and guide their parents to the website. With a little funding, they lease an old psychiatric hospital to pull the wool even further over their parents’ eyes. One problem. The website was more functional than any of them had counted on, and more than 300 people clicked their acceptance. B manages to fast-talk everyone into believing they’re at a real college, are allowed to devise their own curriculum, and party like it’s 1999. One might think this is a stupid premise for a movie and that the actors are too new and inexperienced. However, the writing is brilliantly funny and the actors are fresh enough to be charming. All in all, the viewer goes in thinking, “trainwreck,” and comes out with sore gut muscles from all the belly-laughs.

Yes, you may recognize that guy from the Mac commercials who pulls through with perfect comedic timing and a surprising amount of heart. Seeing this movie makes me want to start a college of my own or click “accept” and become a "S.H.I.T.head."

Written by: Tracy Elledge

Reviewers Rating: 8.5
Reader's Rating: 6.00
Reader's Votes: 1

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