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Some remakes are completely pointless, but School for Scoundrels at least has some justification for existing: the premise has sizeable comedy potential, and few people know the original. Regular Frat Pack director Todd Phillips (previous films include the Starsky & Hutch movie and Will Ferrell's Old School) takes the reigns, with the appealing double act of Billy Bob Thornton and Jon Heder in the leads. Both play absolutely to type - Thornton is a hardass (who seems to play precisely the same character in the upcoming Mr. Woodcock, the trailer for which was shown before the film) and Heder is a pushover - but they are good at the roles, and have decent comedic chemistry. The script is slightly lacking in the joke department but the performances are generally likeable enough to mask the flaw and there are some really funny set-pieces, like a paintball match and a tennis game. In the second half the film becomes a tale of one-upmanship as Thornton and Heder both compete for the same girl (Jacinda Barrett), leading to some entertaining situations. Unfortunately School for Scoundrels was yet another example of most of the best bits being spoiled by the trailer, but unlike some other recent 'comedies' I could mention, the film never feels flat and devoid of laughs. The final part is given a further jolt of life with the introduction of a big-name cameo, which is a nice novelty.
The summary
Basically, with School for Scoundrels you get what you pay for - escapism and some laughs - and nothing more. It's not memorable, but it's an enjoyable 100 minutes.
