Fun Size (2012) [Blu-Ray]

OcVAplgCharming and gorgeous Nickelodeon Pop starlet continues her gradual foray in to the movies with her Nickelodeon fueled “Fun Size.” Set during Halloween night, Victoria Justice heads up a charming and often raucous comedy with the equally charming and gorgeous Jane Levy in one of the classic Hollywood formula comedies: The It All Happened One Night film. Set in the vein of a real time during one fun night of Halloween, big sister Wren, as played by Justice is tasked with taking her little brother Albert out for a night of trick or treating. Wren, just getting over the death of her dad, has to deal with her mom’s dating habits, while longing for her upcoming trek to college. Younger brother Albert is a rambunctious and unpredictable young boy who begrudgingly goes out with Wren and her flirtatious best friend April.

When Wren loses Albert in a crowd, she must travel around her town looking for him before her mom (played by a surprisingly tolerable Chelsea Handler) discover he’s gone missing. As stated “Fun Size” is much in the tradition of “American Graffiti” where Wren and April are involved in a slew of various misadventures, and antics. While it’s by no means a masterpiece, “Fun Size” makes for a decent time filler, with some funny gags, and very good performances from its cast. Jane Levy plays well as the bad girl foil to Justice’s good girl heroine and delivers most of the fun one-liners. Victoria Justice herself skirts the edges of the PG-13 rating along with the movie, taking part in raunchy humor that’s not good for her core fan base, but good enough for audiences looking for more adult entertainment in the process. There are some fun gags to indulge in, including the encounter with a gladiator and some chicken, as well as the odd pairing of a giant chicken and a car in front of it.

Chelsea Handler is given her own interesting storyline, as the mom of Wren struggling to fit in to a Halloween party alongside a group of twenty something’s, who comes to realize her own responsibilities when she stumbles upon the parents of one of the partiers. “Fun Size” has a good focus on the characters, and really makes the Halloween romp something in to a last hurrah as Wren desperately enters in to college and away from her family. Justice has a real charm and appeal on-screen, looking good in just about anything she wears in the film, and is never above being a bit raunchy as opposed to her more G rated antics on her television show. It’s an entertaining, sweet little comedy adventure and one that really makes clever use it a classic formula.

Featured in the Blu-Ray Release of “Fun Size” is the nine minute Making-Of entitled “Unwrapped” in which the cast and crew discuss the fun of making the film, and how director Josh Schwartz directed the film. There’s “Trouble Sized!” a five minute look at actor Jackson Nicoll and his life. There’s a four minute gag reel, and five minutes of deleted scenes featuring an alternate opening, and more emphasis on Peng’s sub-plot. There’s the music video “The Kiss” from Carly Rae Jepsen and of course the Making of “The Kiss” music video clocking in at two minutes. Finally there’s the UV copy of “Fun Size” for folks who subscribe. Victoria Justice is gorgeous and wholesome, Jane Levy is gorgeous and naughty, and “Fun Size” ends as a very solid Halloween based comedy with clever wit, a sharp script, and some good chuckles to be had.