Blockers (2018)

It’s been a while since we’ve seen a teenage sex comedy that’s of any value, although the argument over what the last truly great one was would be a heated one. After watching How To Be Single (2016) recently and realising it was one of the worst films ever made, hopes weren’t high for this John Cena fronted outing. He stars as a concerned parent alongside Leslie Mann (her of How To Be Single shame) and Ike Barinholtz, who all realise on their daughters’ prom night that they’ve made a pact to lose their virginity. So far, so American Pie. One could certainly lay down the claim that American Pie has never been topped within this genre (possibly the film with the greatest claim is American Pie 2 [2001]) but somewhat surprisingly, Blockers reversing of the American Pie blueprint-focusing on the parents as oppose to the teens- is a move that works rather well. John Cena continues his astonishing ability to steal films; he’s absolutely terrific here, as is Mann, hopefully proving How To Be Single was a single rotten apple. Not all of the jokes land; indeed some of them fall particularly flat, but the hideous, crass, lowest common denominator humour is thankfully absent, meaning that you root for more or less all the characters. The teenagers are at times irritating, but mostly Blockers is a very welcome surprise. Not even close to American Pie, but without doubt one of the best teen sex comedies of recent years. 6.8/10