Slightly better than the previews

The New Guy - PG-13
Starring: DJ Qualls, Eliza Dushku
Directed by: Ed Decter
Showing: Showplace East 11 It's good when a movie knows its shortcomings. So many movies just run with a dumb plot, undeveloped characters and a corny ending without offering the viewers anything else except for a boring two hours. Filmmakers have to realize that not every movie is "The Godfather," and they should realize that the audience needs something more than a mediocre story. "The New Guy" does understand this concept, and director Ed Decter seems to recognize that the unbelievable story of the "zero to hero" high school tale needs something like celebrity cameos, blockbuster spoofs and a mechanical bull-riding scene where Eliza Dushku wears a bandanna for a shirt. Dizzy Harrison (DJ Qualls) is the biggest loser at his high school, or as his group of losers call him, "just a blip on the radar screen." One day he embarrasses himself so much that he ends up with bruised genitals and an eventual night in the slammer. After talking with cellmate Luther (Eddie Griffin) about how he was a loser in his first prison just like Dizzy was at his first high school, Dizzy decides to transfer schools with a new persona, Gil Harris, an ex-con with nothing to lose. Gil starts to become cool with help from the inmates and guards, including a "Flash-dance" reject choreographer played by Horatio Sanz, and a tough-as-nails warden played by Henry Rollins. Gil arrives at his new school and makes an entrance similar to Steve Buscemi's character in "Con-Air." Right away the school is intrigued. Now by no means is the story very good, and the trailer gives the entire film away. But the little things added in between the bad jokes are what make this film watchable. Little scenes that include Tony Hawk, Tommy Lee, Vanilla Ice, Kyle Gass and Gene Simmons keep the film moving strongly. The film needs these things to keep the viewer awake. Although Decter does a good job of adding these things, it only makes his film good enough to rent. This is Decter's first film and he won't be the next Francis Ford Coppola. But he knows how to keep the audience's attention, especially with the five-minute bikini fashion show Dushku puts on halfway through the film.