Nerdy high school senior Dizzy Harrison has finally gotten lucky -- after purposely getting expelled, he takes lessons in 'badass cool' from a convict and enrolls at a new school. But can he keep up the ruse?
If physical appearance creates its own class system (in high school and beyond), then Qualls is perfect for this proselytizing role. He has that rarest of movie-star faces -- one that over comes the tyranny of beauty.
58
Entertainment Weekly
Owen Gleiberman
A Jekyll-and-Hyde teen comedy that sounds like a Pauly Shore reject, but Qualls moves his marionette body around with a true clown's effervescence, and he does rubber-faced parodies of youth cool that are just what youth cool deserves.
40
The A.V. Club
Nathan Rabin
A comedy just funny enough to make viewers wish it were far funnier.
40
Chicago Reader
Jonathan Rosenbaum
It isn't very good, but it doesn’t seem to care, which turns out to be rather refreshing.
25
Chicago Tribune
Michael Wilmington
You have to have faith that kids will recognize a bad movie when it's foisted on them -- and they don't get much worse than The New Guy.