Toronto After Dark is always full of pleasant surprises. Having only seen this rather enigmatic trailer for HIGH School, I really had no idea what to expect. I was vaguely aware that the movie had been well received at Sundance earlier this year, but beyond that I knew nothing. That’s probably the best way to go into any film; having no prior knowledge and no expectations can often result in a better film experience. That’s how I went into HIGH School, and I was pleased to discover a raucous teenage caper film in the vein of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Risky Business.
Spoilers to follow.
In director John Stalberg’s feature film debut, a promising student named Henry Burke (Matt Bush) faces expulsion when the overzealous Dean (Michael Chiklis) of his high school announces that all students will face a mandatory drug tests. Ordinarily this kind of thing wouldn’t be an issue for Henry, a reserved straight A student who has never tried a drug in his life. However, a chance encounter with his one-time friend and resident stoner, Breaux (Sean Marquette), leads to his first experience with marijuana. With the drug test looming and his scholarship to MIT on the line, Henry and Breaux devise a plan to get the entire school high. Hey, they can’t expel everyone!
