"10 Years"

 2011 * PG-13 * 1h 40m Ever since The Big Chill came out in 1983, Hollywood has inundated us with reunion movies. And for the most part, they're largely formulaic and forgettable. But every once in a while one comes out that covers some new ground and is actually worth watching. I thought 10 Years was one of them. 

The movie has a stellar cast of folks you've seen on tv and in films. They include Channing Tatum, Chris Pratt, Justin Long, Kate Mara, and Aubrey Plaza. As expected, the film is about a ten-year high school class reunion. It's a nice blend of comedy, pratfalls, and some very tender moments as well. And there are several stories to follow, which really keeps you on your toes. 

One of my favorite bits revolves around Pratt's character Cully. He's married with children and has had to grow up. However he regrets being a jerk in high school and wants to make amends with the kids he picked on. Especially Peter Jung (Aaron Yoo). The night starts out okay with him apologizing to Peter, but then Cully really starts hitting the bottle. And the drunker he gets, the more obnoxious he gets, to the point where he acts even worse to Aaron than he did in high school. 

But that's just one of the stories. Other ones are not as over the top, and there's naturally some rekindled romances. It all adds up to a very entertaining film. It almost makes me wish I had gone to my most recent reunion. Almost.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars

Streaming with your library card for free on Kanopy and Hoopla. Also on Prime Video.