We’ve all made a lot of mistakes in our past. Adding to that, some constantly blame others for their disposition, dragging them down too in the process. Who among us hasn’t at some point in time wondered, like the protagonist in 17 Again, what our lives would be like today if we could only get a chance to go back in time and undo some of the things that we did and do some of those that we didn’t?
The opening visual is a flashback scene of Mike (Zac Efron) shooting basketballs. In the present time, he’s a mid-aged loser on the verge of a divorce. One not-so-fine day, he is magically transformed to his youthful self. The good thing about being able to revisit and relive the past is that bad history can be prevented from being repeated. For, a lot of the worst mistakes are also some of the most avoidable, committed in the formative years by they who have not been taught to distinguish between the right and the wrong, and who are unwary of the dire consequences of their acts.
A lot of folk may wish that they could get a second chance to be who we could have been. Of course, this is not going to happen. Fortunately, there is an indirect way out for everything; even for redemption. Aged viewers, coaches and parents in particular, would be able to relate to the protagonist’s desire to see his son achieve what he did not.
Zac Efron’s the vibrant, dashing dude that attracts the babes without even having to try. Such kind of charisma, though, can be a little dangerous at times. Much to his character’s embarrassment, his gullible teenage daughter too falls for him. Though the primary setting is a high-school basketball court and he’s a star player, there’s no spectacular dribbling, passing, jumping, or dunking on display. Not even an attempt. This entertainer simply relies on the actor’s saleable looks.
Burr Steers’ time-travel /high school romcom has a light and happy tone, but it also talks about important things, such as the sacredness of marital love. Though it won’t allow anyone of us the chance to alter our past, the film offers a very useful reminder that we have the choice of amending our behavior and deeds today. So we wouldn’t have the urge some day in the future of coming back to this present time to make important changes.
