National Lampoon's Van Wilder (Party Liaison) (2002)

18% of critics liked it
(87 reviews)
78% of users liked it
(185,967 ratings)

The "National Lampoon" franchise is resurrected for another politically incorrect collegiate romp with this R-rated gross-out sex comedy. National Lampoon's Van Wilder revolves around the exploits of its title character (Ryan Reynolds), a seventh-year senior who's made it his goal in life to help… More The "National Lampoon" franchise is resurrected for another politically incorrect collegiate romp with this R-rated gross-out sex comedy. National Lampoon's Van Wilder revolves around the exploits of its title character (Ryan Reynolds), a seventh-year senior who's made it his goal in life to help each and every Coolidge College undergrad succeed in life -- or at least in bed. Van's charmed life seems to have an expiration date, however; his father (Tim Matheson) has cut off his presumably vast allowance. Financial insecurity doesn't phase the big man on campus, and he soon starts up a lucrative cottage industry as a planner of high-priced campus blowouts. When an enterprising reporter from the college paper gets wind of Van's liberal interpretation of the school's code of conduct, it seems his gig is up -- unless, of course, he can charm the hard-edged Gwen (Tara Reid) into accepting his uniquely skewed world view. In addition to Matheson, Van Wilder features cameos from a number of '80s teen movie stalwarts, including Edie McClurg, Paul Gleason, and Erik Estrada. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 35 min.
Directed By: Walt Becker
Written By: David Wagner, Brent Goldberg
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Apr 5, 2002 Wide
On DVD: Aug 20, 2002
Studio: Artisan Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News
An uneven mix of National Lampoon-style high jinks (yes, it feels slightly dated) and Farrelly-brothers touches tossed in for gross measure.
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
An unabashedly bad movie full of cliches, claptrap, fairly good rock 'n' roll and stomach-turning gross-out gags.
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
... Tara Reid plays a college journalist, but she looks like the six-time winner of the Miss Hawaiian Tropic Pageant, so I don't know what she's doing in here ...
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post
Execrable.
Peter Howell, Toronto Star
Imagine Animal House with the unfunny Chevy Chase in the lead, instead of either Matheson, John Belushi or Tom Hulce, and you've pretty much nailed the biggest problem with this evil incarnation.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
The grossest, most disgusting humor imaginable.
Scott Weinberg, DVDTalk.com
I know it's harder to write good jokes than it is rotten ones, but based on what's displayed here, it doesn't seem like the effort was even made.
David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...I will admit to having chuckled at an Erik Estrada cameo...
Harry Guerin, RTE Interactive (Dublin, Ireland)
Compare it to the recent Cameron Diaz-starring disaster The Sweetest Thing and you'll reckon it deserves an Oscar.
John R. McEwen, Film Quips Online
...Mainly a collection of dumb sight gags, gross-out jokes, and comic sex, with a dull-as-dishwater premise and a spotty cast list.
Heather Wadowski, Film Threat
While Van Wilder may not be the worst National Lampoon film, it's far from being this generation's Animal House.

Read all 11 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

John M

Ryan Reynolds carries this movie no doubt about it.
Anthony L

A sure sign that a film is bad is when suddenly it becomes a 'National Lampoon's' film. This film is truly awful though. For some reason I thought it was a Rob Schneider film. I'm not a huge Rob Schneider fan but compared to this garbage his films are Oscar worthy.… More
A sure sign that a film is bad is when suddenly it becomes a 'National Lampoon's' film. This film is truly awful though. For some reason I thought it was a Rob Schneider film. I'm not a huge Rob Schneider fan but compared to this garbage his films are Oscar worthy. My least favourite genres - The American college/fraternity comedy. Pure crap.
Lenny M

Flixter deletion? Not quite a classic, but Ryan Reynolds is in this role. Great plot and a lot of funny moments.
Candy R

Ryan is popular in college and has the time of his life, but has he been kept back from graduating because he is afraid of the real world?
Ken S

I really like Reynolds, sue me.
Josh L

Extremely dumb gross-out comedy.
Lafe F

Quality gross-out comedy. Ryan Reynolds brings a lot of fun to the role of party man Van Wilder at his college house. I liked the laxative trick, but the doggie treat scene was too much to even think about.
Dean !

One of the better recent teen comedies, bit gross at times but has plenty of laughs.
Rachel F

Hilarious. I loved it.
Steve K

Funny and gross, but the comic timing is off more than not.
Jason S

Ok but not one I ever plan to watch again.
Leigh R

Nice.
Sarah G

Hilarious!
James A

I guess this counts as the third funny movie franchise from National Lampoon's. 3 out of 200 aint a bad score.
Joseph E

Reynolds has an Affect me!
Deb S

Van Wilder is a young man in college who has been there for 7 years, He loves it so much there, that he purposely fails his classes just to stay and is not looking to graduate anytime soon. When his father decides not to pay his tuition anymore, Van will do anything to make money to… More
Van Wilder is a young man in college who has been there for 7 years, He loves it so much there, that he purposely fails his classes just to stay and is not looking to graduate anytime soon. When his father decides not to pay his tuition anymore, Van will do anything to make money to pay for college, as well as win over the affections of Gwen (Tara Reid), a school newspaper reporter looking for a big story. I'll admit, this movie tends to be a bit juvenile at times but it was hysterical watching Van learning about life and love and see him pull disgustingly humiliating pranks on annoying frat boys whose girlfriends you want to steal. There are a couple of strong supporting characters in Teck Holmes' Hutch as Van's right-hand man and Kal Penn as Taj Mahal Badalandabad, a sex starved Indian exchange student whom Wilder hires as his `assistant.' Personally, I thought Tara Reid lacked, I didn't see her as an aspiring journalist but then again, I'm not her biggest fan (but she was good for the eye candy). At points the movie was very predictable, but it was HILARIOUS! There is the nasty bathroom humor, drunken humor, drug jokes, pretty naked coeds, parties, sex, gross sex talk, and Taj gets many of the best gags and one liners.
Jason S

More gross out laughs on the menu, but this is saved thanks to an enigmatic performance from Ryan Reynolds. Mostly forgettable otherwise, but has its moments.
Stephen E

I'm not a big fan of anything that National Lampoon has had to offer, and "Van Wilder" is no exception at all. The creators of this film go from being raunchy to being just flat-out gross. The outcome isn't very pleasant.
Sunil J

Pretty dumb but you could tell Ryan Reynolds had some star quality to him.
John M

"Van Wilder" is a fairly enjoyable gross-out comedy. Its worth a check if you're bored and need a few laughs.