Memorial Monday: PCU (1994)

Summary: Tom is a preppy senior high school student (pre-frosh) who visits Port Chester University for the weekend in order to see if this is the college for him. Admission’s places him into the care of James “Droz” Andrews (Jeremy Piven), a seven year college student, who leads band of social misfits known as The Pit. From their initial meeting to the time he leaves, the pre-frosh realizes that college is MUCH different from 60’s frat culture he’s imagined. Political correctness and a lack of fun have taken over the university forcing The Pit to constantly cause trouble for everyone including Tom.

Plot (A-): In my opinion, this is the best college movie ever. While Animal House was very funny for its time, PCU took the college movie genre to a new level in the 90’s. I’ll always have an appreciation for Animal House due to my father but after seeing this movie for the first time back in 1996/7 I COULDN’T WAIT to go to college. Set in a span of one day, you quickly see the type of destruction The Pit causes the entire campus. By pulling immature, yet genius pranks you understand they are the poster children of everything that is anti-politically correct. For the most part PCU showed me the absolute freedom you have in college and that everyday can be a party. Looking back, I should have failed a year or two of college just so I could have stayed.

Action (N/A): Like any Tom Cruise film there’s a lot of running.

Acting & Dialogue (A): “Excuse me, can you blow me where the pampers is?” It’s safe to say that anyone who has seen this movie more than once can quote it entirely, which is why I gave this section an A. Jeremy Piven is clearly at his best in this film. Everything he says and does is legendary. For example, it’s because of his one line to John Favreau that I, or any of my friends, CANNOT wear a shirt of the band we’re going to see. Why? Because we don’t want to be “that guy”. What that actually means, I don’t know but it’s funny. John Favreau and David Spade contribute more comedy to the film in several ways which can only be appreciated when viewed. Favreau plays Gutter, one of the social misfits of The Pit, who clearly isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed. Favreau rocks an overweight belly and short dreadlocks which makes his role authentic. Spade plays Rand McPherson, a preppy Reganite who leads an underground fraternity that is desperately aching to seek vengeance on The Pit. Going back to why this movie made me salivate for my college years. I did come to find certain truths in this movie about college during my four years there. One in particular stands out, which I’ll let the quote explain:

Tom: What's he doin?
Droz: He's finishing his senior thesis. Pigman is trying to prove the Caine-Hackman theory. No matter what time it is, 24 hours a day, you can find a Michael Caine or Gene Hackman movie playing on TV.
Tom: That's his thesis?
Droz: Yes! That's the beauty of college these days, Tommy! You can major in Game Boy if you know how to bullshit

This is something that is so true about college. Now, perhaps you may or may not be able to write a thesis about the extinct and primitive Game Boy, but in reality if you have a interest in a specific topic you can get away studying it. Legitimate or not. By the way, that theory of Pigman’s is true for the most part. Michael Caine and Gene Hackman movies are always on.

Sex Appeal (4): Are you kidding me? The Womynist’s would have no toleration for sex or anything like that in this film. For example, analyze this quote: Jock: What’s up babes? Womynist #1: Pack up your rape culture and take a hike! Jock: You want a brew dog? Womynist #1: We’re not interested in your penis! Womynist #2: Wait, wait. I think he’s offering us a beer.

Director (A): Hart Bochner is known more for his acting than directing. After PCU he directed High School High starring John Lovitz and Tia Carrere, which is very fitting since both films are comedies that focus on school. In my opinion, his directing abilities in PCU were amazing. He created a cult classic about the best four years a teenager can have. According to IMDB, Jeremy Piven stated that none of the actors were allowed to improvise during filming. The only line that was improvised was the “Don’t be that guy” line…which is iconic to the hardcore fans. I don’t know if that’s true but if it is you gotta give SOOO much credit to the writers. They created funny ass one-liners that will live forever.

Overall: A