Thursday, August 7, 2014

Recess: Taking the Fifth Grade

Recess Fifth Grade.jpgRecess: Taking the Fifth Grade is a direct-to-video film based on the television series of the same name released in December of 2003. Considered the series finale to the show, it starred Myles Jeffrey, Rickey D’Shon Collins, Jason Davis, Ashley Johnson, Courtland Mead, and Pamela Adlon. It consists of three unreleased episodes framed by a narration by TJ.

The first episode, TJ Detweiler vs. the Board of Education has the gang (Jeffrey, Adlon/Pam Segall, Collins, Johnson, Jason Davis/Robert Goulet, Mead) thinking they’re going to have the best year ever, but are proven wrong. Thanks to no lockers, substandard cafeteria food and the removal of the playground, TJ locks himself in his room and won’t come out until everything is normal again.
The second, The Fifth and Sixth Graders Club introduces the gang to the eponymous club. However, it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
The final, Halloween, has Spinelli believing herself to be too old for Halloween.

I have to say, even though I believe School’s Out would have been a better ending to the series, this film was actually pretty decent. It didn’t rehash episodes already out and make it a flashback of fonder memories, like other films have and it brought back a former adversary.
The individual episodes are also good on their own and really show just how connected the group of friends is. Take the third, Spinelli thinks she’s too old and when the others worry about her, they really can’t enjoy the fun. The five of them are all true companions.
However, the biggest problem with this is the pacing, which I’ve mentioned in other direct-to-video reviews. It’s an hour long, but feels much longer. I don’t necessarily know why that is, but it feels like time has slowed down. 
#59

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