Movie review: 21 Jump Street

Wouldn't we all love to return to our days of youth and try to do things a little bit better?

Those disastrous days at school or university would surely be better second time around, wouldn't they?

21 Jump Street makes its own attempt at revisiting the past, much like its main characters. From 1987 to 1991, 21 Jump Street was a popular television series about young cops infiltrating schools to solve crimes.

This time around, we are at the cinemas to watch Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) try to prove to the world that they are not total screw-ups.

Schmidt and Jenko have known each other since their high-school days - Jenko the cool, popular kid and Schmidt the laughable, chubby kid with braces.

If Schmidt could have his time again he would like to go to his school prom.

Reuniting in police academy, the pair somehow manages to graduate and hit the streets together.

It is fair to say the streets are safer for criminals when this pair is on the side of law enforcement.

To get them out of the way, they are assigned to an undercover police division based at 21 Jump Street.

It seems there is a dangerous new drug being sold at a high school and they must discover who is behind it, and fast.

And so the laughs begin.

Macho-man Jenko has to play a school science geek while Schmidt is the cool jock who may be able to live out his dream of attending a school prom.

While Jenko is intent on solving the crime, Schmidt is more about enjoying his high-school years second time around.

21 Jump Street lives up to its R16 rating with bad language, naked bodies, drug use and plenty of inappropriate stuff, but it is all funny.

The unlikely casting of Tatum and Hill works well in a coming-of-age film that won't win any awards but will win plenty of fans.

Title: 21 Jump Street

Starring: Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill

Running time: 110 minutes

Rating: (R16)

Stars: 4/5