ThiefHott Too much of everything

Merolliv I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

Forumrxes Yo, there's no way for me to review this film without saying, take your *insert ethnicity + "ass" here* to see this film,like now. You have to see it in order to know what you're really messing with.

Lela The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

gavin6942 Nerdy college student (Harold Lloyd) will do anything to become popular on campus.As far as Lloyd comedies go, this film is more plot and character-driven than the constant physical punchlines of his other films (including, of course, "Safety Last"). That takes nothing away from it, but in fact possibly adds something -- proof that this is a man who can do both gags and a straight story.The Criterion release is incredible, not only for its commentary with Leonard Maltin and friends, but for its inclusion of plenty of Lloyd bonus material -- among other things, it has three short films.Hopefully through Criterion's efforts the name of Harold Lloyd grows in importance. The silent comedy era always seems to be Charlie Chaplin first, Buster Keaton second... and then Lloyd either a distant third or forgotten completely. He should never be forgotten.

Martin Teller I know a lot of people consider this to be one of Harold Lloyd's best (and it's certainly one of his most famous) but I felt it came up a little short. Lloyd plays a decent chap trying his best to win popularity at his new school (like a lot of college comedies, going to class seems to be optional). There's some funny gags and inventive moments, and the football finale is rightfully iconic, but a lot of bits are drawn out far long or just aren't that funny. Watching Lloyd embarrass himself on stage or act as the team's tackle dummy or cope with an unraveling tuxedo is amusing at first but becomes tedious after a few minutes. The romance is also quite underdeveloped. I don't want to rag on it too much... as far as slapstick comedies go, it's far less annoying than most. I just expected more laughs. I prefer SAFETY LAST.

MARIO GAUCI One of Harold Lloyd's most popular vehicles, which Leonard Maltin rates **** - though I personally prefer SAFETY LAST (1923; only a *** in the famed and genial critic's book!) over it. Still, THE FRESHMAN is a marvelous comedy and an unmistakable classic (which, as was Lloyd's norm, featured wonderful cinematography that involved numerous in-camera 'tricks'). However, as mentioned in the accompanying Audio Commentary (by Maltin himself among others), the film is more character-driven - and, therefore, less gag-laden - than usual for Lloyd; interestingly, too, while normally the star/producer would shoot the central set-piece first and then devise a plot around it, he couldn't do so here because the central character's motivation during the concluding football game wasn't possible unless Lloyd and his writers had thoroughly worked out what led up to it!Needless to say, the film's college setting (a theme which endures to this day) has proved to be a very popular backdrop with star comedians along the years - beginning with Lloyd's contemporaries: it was followed by Buster Keaton's COLLEGE (1927), The Marx Bros.' HORSE FEATHERS (1932) and Laurel & Hardy's A CHUMP AT OXFORD (1940). The gags, too, are of a very high standard: the opening scene where Lloyd's wacky college yells are mistaken by his father, an amateur radio enthusiast, for static (the look of disappointment on his face when he realizes the source of his 'reception' is priceless); Lloyd modeling his persona after the lead of a college-set film he watched, encapsulated in an elaborate dance step he makes prior to introducing himself to anyone, and which our hero fervently copies in the hope of gaining acceptance among his peers; Lloyd, rejected for the all-important football team, is eventually asked to serve as a 'dummy' on which his colleagues can perform their training!; the lengthy party sequence (in which the star is accompanied -because of his fragile costume - by an elderly tailor, suffering from periodical dizzy spells) is hysterically funny; the justly-celebrated football game, then, provides the perfect climax to the film (and was actually reprised over 20 years later by none other than Preston Sturges for the opening sequence of what turned out to be Lloyd's swan-song, THE SIN OF HAROLD DIDDLEBOCK [1947]).As was the case with GIRL SHY (1924), the plot occasionally resorts to sentiment (one such scene, where Harold breaks down on leading lady Jobyna Ralston's lap, was actually removed by the star himself for subsequent re-issues because it was deemed excessive but, happily, it has been re-instated for this version): here, too, the emotional scenes are beautifully handled and do not sit uncomfortably alongside the slapstick or deter from the fun in any way.

MartinHafer I was fortunate enough to have seen this film in the theater many years ago and I can owe it to this film for sparking my life-long love of the old comedies. I only recently saw it again but this time on DVD and found the film to be even better than I remembered.For those used to seeing slapstick shorts (including those of Lloyd), this film is quite different. Instead of the focus of this film being comedy, the humor seems incidental to the story and the character development. Because of this, the first 1/4 of the movie does not have tons of laughs--because it's building and developing the story and not trying to elicit cheap laughs. However, as you watch, the humor increases and because this came as the character developed, you really find yourself hooked into caring for Harold and you are emotionally in-tune with him. So, as the movie continues, you find your heart breaking for the guy (yes, Chaplin was not the only silent comedian to use pathos). And, when the end of the picture arrives, you feel his triumph. An exquisite and highly artistic treasure.PS--I watched the DVD with the optional commentary from Leonard Maltin et al. This REALLY improved my understanding and appreciation for the film. I rarely ever use this option, but as I was re-watching the film and since it was a silent, this option is a major plus.Interestingly enough, Buster Keaton came out with a similar movie just a few years later (COLLEGE). However, it isn't even close to being as good as THE FRESHMAN. I love Keaton, but not this film. If you must seem one silent college picture, see THE FRESHMAN--and maybe the Marx Brothers' HORSE FEATHERS for a much stupider but terribly funny sound take on college life.