In an attempt to score with a new batch of girls, high school football stars Shawn and Nick hatch the ultimate plan. Trading footballs for pom poms, the guys will join their female counterparts at cheer camp, opening themselves to a new world in the form of competitive cheerleading.
Starring the likes of Nicholas D'Agosto, Eric Christian Olsen and Sarah Roemer, Fired Up had the change to be the American Pie of the decade. The jokes, sex and hard-core language were all a possibility; especially considering the premise and the number of oulandishly hot female bodies that graced the screen. However, much to my surprise, the film played it safe.
Unlike its counterparts Bring It On and Sugar and Spice, Fired Up never materializes as a feature. Carrying the always cautious PG-13 rating, we never got to see what we could, and quite possibly should have seen. The actions, innocent and generic, represent that of a mediocre made-for-TV movie. The dialogue, consistent with that of a 10 year old, falls flat, becoming unrealistic in its attempt to be clean and innocent.
And it isn't that I prefer a hard-R rating, I actually support the clean, historical style of film that was washed away years ago. I just find it difficult to believe that teenagers, all of whom are open to sex, don't cuss or show immense frustration. Maybe that was suppose to be running joke throughout the picture, or maybe it was just bad screen writing; either way, it was a distraction that will prevent it from truly connecting with the audience.
Yet that isn't the most frustrating point of the feature, which comes in the form of Shawn's fourteen year old sister, Poppy, played by Juliette Goglia. Introduced near the beginning of the film, Goglia gives the two 'players' some advice on women and how to make the squad. Her manuvers, overly mature for her age, bring about the annoying character that has found its place within the more-recent comedy seeking kid's films. And while her presence doesn't ruin the feature completely, it does give us an early warning sign that this film, though interesting, will be nothing more than a ridiculous attempt to combine hot bodies and laughs.
However, there is one actor that rises to the occasion, Adhir Kalyan. Playing the obviously gay Brewster, Kalyan provides the lone source for comedic relief as he uses the stereotype to his advantage. Through the process, he generates laughs and smiles, making me long for his return shortly after his all-too-soon exit..
And as the camp looks to be coming to a close, and the true personalities of the two 'jocks' in question are revealed, you can't help but laugh at the pathetic pathway that it has chosen to take. The character growth, dull as it is, is easily foreseeable, as is the unappealing conclusion; thus making Fired Up a full out bland and unoriginal comedy that will come and go without so much as a pity clap from the audience.
