Orange County, 2002
IMDB Details Orange County

I'd like to preface this review for those who have not seen this film by saying that it's probably not what you think it is. Orange County is not a teen movie (yet it is), it's not a Cali stoner comedy (but it is) and it's not your typical coming of age introspective drama (but it is) but rather, it's an introspective dramedy that's surprisingly applicable to modern life whatever the age of the viewer/audience happens to be.

Orange County is the story of Shaun Brumder (played by Colin Hanks), a somewhat typified California high school senior who realizes that it's time to start making some decisions that will effect his life. His immediate surroundings and influences include a hilariously paranoid drug addicted brother (played by Jack Black), a hilariously alcoholic and disconnected mother (played by Catherine O'Hara), an absent father who's 'traded-up' to a trophy wife and greener pastures (so he thought), two surfer buds ala Jeff Spicoli from Fast Times at Ridgemont High and a very sensible and beautiful girlfriend (played by Schuyler Fisk) who he should be listening to for the entire movie but doesn't realize it. All of these people, along with some other colorful characters peppered throughout the story basically combine to form a recipe for madness (and it's a pretty damn funny one) and Shaun's way of dealing with it all is to write the story of his life. In doing so, he discovers that he has an ability for writing and that writing is something that he wants to pursue as a career. Shaun's ultimate goal then becomes acceptance to Stanford University which is world reknowned for its writing paths/degrees. All manner of madness ensues in a seeming conspiracy to keep Shaun at home and away from realizing his dream including an absolutely gut wrackingly hilarious scene with Garry Marshall, Catherine O'Hara and Jack Black that you won't want to miss.

Okay, enough of the synopsis stuff. To me, the central idea of the film echoes the sentiment found in The Wizard of Oz, i.e. you have to figure out how to be happy in your own skin because nothing external will do it for you. Shaun is convinced that his crazy surroundings and hectic environment are the root cause of his inability to move forward with his dream. As such he works very hard at trying to extricate himself from who he really is. Along his path he discovers a writer (played by Kevin Kline) who essentially depicts what Shaun visualizes himself as being. Shaun spends the balance of the film seeking validation from this writer (and Standford) and attempting to assure himself that he is worthy of the task and worthy of the life that he wants for himself.

Along the way he discovers that the only path to validation lies within himself and that the people he tries to escape from are the ones who have formed the values within him.

I said in the beginning that this film has lessons applicable to all ages and the above is what I mean by that statement. Our true callings are self divined and self discovered and no slip of paper from a particular college or external validation from a professional in the field we might be interested in, a friend, colleague or whomever is going to provide us with answers that are only available internally. We are unique, we are individual, and each of us only really knows what is right for us. We should seek to celebrate our own unique qualities and work from them instead of seeking to be or do as someone else has done.

This film does a surprisingly beautiful job of underscoring those ideas and a few I haven't even mentioned. Watch the film for its comedic value and then think about why it was funny. I bet you'll learn something about yourself. I certainly did.



Edit:
Thanks for the suggestion powderedwater, it did me some good to revist the ideas in this film.