Remember When Chris Pratt, Aubrey Plaza, Channing Tatum & Oscar Isaac Did a Movie Together?

The Big Picture

• 10 Years
  boasts a star-studded cast, featuring A-listers such as Chris Pratt, Oscar Isaac, Channing Tatum, Aubrey Plaza, Justin Long, Kate Mara, and Anthony Mackie.
• The film shows how treating others poorly in high school can come back to haunt you later in life.
• 10 Years
  emphasizes the importance of embracing your past and making choices that fulfill you in the present.

Despite giving us a hilarious Chris Pratt, a singing Oscar Isaac, an infinitely charming Channing Tatum, and an intriguing character and performance from Aubrey Plaza, 10 Years did not fare well at the box office, nor did it generate a significant following. On the surface, one could easily assume that this is a shallow, run-of-the-mill, ensemble high school reunion picture. That assumption isn’t necessarily wrong, nor is it undoubtedly right. Jamie Linden‘s debut flick 10 Years is formulaic in its approach to its plot, and there is not much to be desired about its cinematic achievements, if any at all. However, there is an endearing quality to its weaving of each individual’s stories, bringing waves of emotions for viewers to enjoy while reminiscing the days of their youthful rowdiness.

Through its diverse set of characters, 10 Years gives the audience a fascinating look into what transpires during high school reunions. The course of events leading up to the reunion allows their characteristics to unfold like a high school yearbook. Brimming with nostalgia, the magic of this introduction lies in understanding that there is so much more to them than their “assigned stereotype.” As it develops, 10 Years slowly reveals the central tenet of its narrative: dealing with the past. It is a condition that each and every single one of its viewers has experienced, and it tackles this notion head-on

What is ’10 Years’ About?

As its title suggests, the film is about a bunch of high school friends — a bunch of colorful characters with varying stories — attending their 10-year reunion. Seeing old faces in now unfamiliar places unlocks their vivid recollections of the people they were back then, compared to how they are now. They have a diverse set of problems facing them.​​​ Jake (Channing Tatum), the former football player turned mortgage broker, still hasn’t gotten closure from his ex-girlfriend Mary (Rosario Dawson), even though he is already in a committed relationship with Jess (Jenna Dewan). Reeves (Oscar Isaac), now a big star in the music scene, comes back to finally tell Elise (Kate Mara) his true feelings about her. Cully (Chris Pratt), the notorious high school bully, uses the event as a chance to apologize to the people he tormented back then, much to the chagrin of his wife Sam (Ari Graynor).

Garrity (Brian Geraghty) comes to the party where he unfolds his true personality, much to the surprise of his wife Olivia (Aubrey Plaza). Lastly, Marty (Justin Long) and AJ (Max Minghella) are on a journey to reclaim some bits of their former glory, while pursuing the hottest girl when they were in high school, Anna (Lynn Collins). As the night progresses, and they all get a little more buzzed, the truth of their situations slowly unfolds, making for a fantastic look at how time and responsibilities changed everybody’s entire lives.

’10 Years’ Reminds Us That Not Everyone Can Change

One of the ways 10 Years approaches this is by presenting the idea that perhaps you never really shed the skin of your high school personality. While this might be a good thing for some, it could also be just as detrimental to others. Take Cully, for example, the school’s biggest bully, who is now married to Sam and is preoccupied with the difficulties of having children. There are subtle hints that display Cully’s dissatisfaction with life. Obviously, he was a guy who peaked in high school, and is failing to adapt to the normal, suburban lifestyle that people of their age are accustomed to. He spends the entirety of the flick drunkenly approaching the people he bullied, mainly Peter Jung. At first, it is humorous, with Pratt delivering a genuinely hilarious performance. However, as the night goes on and the shots and bottles continue to pile up, he becomes annoying, both to the characters in the film, and the audience. Cully reveals his true self and there is an inherent pain in his depiction. He never really changed, and goes right back to picking on the same group he terrorized a decade ago. Sam gets tired of this shtick and carries her husband away, but not before drinking some alcohol to alleviate herself of some of the stress.

It paints an interesting picture of how the tables turn as time goes by. The film implies that the guys Cully used to bully are very successful in their own fields, and that being the “tough” guy taking advantage of those who can’t fight back is only a temporary feeling of elation. Back then, it was sort of empowering, but right now, it’s pathetic. There’s nothing cool about it, and as Cully shows, does not only humiliate him, but also the people around him, particularly his wife. It asks the spectators to reassess how they have treated those in the lower levels of this ridiculous hypothetical social hierarchy they have so espoused during high school. It materializes into an opportunity for Cully to realize his mistakes and finally change his ways. If his character development, or lack thereof, is any indication, though, it has a steep uphill climb at the very least — his forehead getting marked “still a douche” a memento of the long and winding road he has to take to sincerely redeem himself.

Channing Tatum, Jenna Dewan, and Rosario Dawson Are in a Love Triangle

For the other individuals in the film, the reunion grants them the opportunity to finally leave the past behind. There is no one here that epitomizes this chance more than Jake, the school jock turned insurance salesperson. As he contemplates asking his girlfriend Jess to marry him, Jake is still in the middle of achieving some form of closure with his ex-girlfriend Mary. With both of them begging to cut the romantic tension between them, things turn sour when both of their partners ask to leave the party early due to the surrounding awkwardness. When they do get the chance to talk, they reminisce over the times they had together, and finally accept that things are better where they are now. The pair finally taking the prom dance that they owe each other certainly adds to the nostalgia of it all.

It’s interesting to see this moment of acquiescence between the two former lovers. Usually, rom-coms take a dramatic turn and have them get back together, often cheapening the moment. Jake and Mary throw that out of the window and dance the night away with the thought of returning to their significant others afterward. They had their time, life got in the way, and it’s best to continue with how things are. It’s a tough pill to swallow, especially if the audience is looking for a momentary instance of bliss. Objectively, and vicariously, though, it is what is necessary and ultimately grounds this picture in some semblance of reality that is oddly gratifying. This could also go the other way around, as two other stories in this movie exemplify.

Oscar Isaac Sang Before ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’

Before he was singing in Inside Llewyn Davis, Oscar Isaac was a big-shot musician in 10 Years. Now one of the country’s biggest pop stars who instinctively made a last-minute decision to come to the event, Reeves (Oscar Isaac) goes out of his way to find Elise, a loner during their high school days. They were attracted to each other, but never acted on their feelings out of fear. While everyone is swooning over Reeves, it turns out that Elise never really listened to his work. Reeves enjoys and appreciates this, because she was one of the few people who were talking to him not because of his current superstardom, but for whom he was back in high school — just an ordinary bloke looking to find his way amidst the chaos and raging hormones. This also makes the proceeding reveal of his biggest hit song “Never Had” being about his love for her even more romantic. Though Elise currently has a boyfriend, she decides to finally let go of him and her past fears, and willfully welcomes Reeves into her own life by making love in a car outside the bar.

On the other hand, Olivia is surprised by the revelations of the classmates of her husband, Garrity. Initially understanding that Garrity was merely into rap music, she is taken aback by the information that he actually thought he was a black person in high school. Charmingly awkward in her disposition, Olivia is suddenly turned on when she sees what an amazing dancer and performer Garrity is. Rather than be disgusted with her husband’s past — as audiences were led to believe in the build-up to the moment Garrity had his dance — Olivia is intrigued by discovering a side of her partner she has never seen before. Humorously, she gives him a steamy kiss afterward, which figuratively and metaphorically turns their life around.

Unlike Jake and Mary’s story, these two have happy endings. Reeves and Elise attempt to show that absence can make the heart grow fonder, and that deciding to be with someone from your past may be the best way to move forward. They learned from the mistakes that they had made in the past, with both Reeves and Elise afraid of taking risks. Their age certainly has granted them the confidence to be more perceptive of the way they feel, and the conclusion of their story has them reaping its benefits. It paradoxically leaves the past behind by having a future for them. Garrity and Olivia’s dynamic is endearing because they can discover something different about each other through the past. It isn’t just about leaving the older times, but turning back to appreciate them every once in a while to fully understand what they continue to mean in the present.

’10 Years’ Gives Its Characters a Second Chance

Most importantly, it could also mean exploring your past and embracing what’s to come in the future. In arguably the most fascinating story of the entire film, Marty and AJ are your resident goofballs who are now seemingly at the top of their careers. Looking to relive their vigorous days of old, they decide to chase the ultimate dream girl in high school, Anna. When she subtly rejects their advances, they engage in drunken shenanigans by toilet-papering her house. When she catches them, she invites them inside and the pair realize how foolish they were. They discover that Anna has two children, both abandoned by their respective fathers. Anna cries and tells them that she just wanted to feel young again for one night, and the two of them ruined it. Marty and AJ then reveal that their lives aren’t as great as they let on, with the former on the brink of a divorce, and the latter barely surviving in a bustling New York environment. They end the night by eating together, figuratively assuring that they will have each other’s backs. It is a scene that has no business being as good as it is. It carries the sting of a dozen failures, and strikes it directly into the hearts of viewers, but not without painting a silver lining in the end.

We all have messes, but it is in no way, shape, or form, the end of all things. The past may be used to rid ourselves of our problems even for just one day, but using it as an entire facade for your existence is a mistake. This sequence, more than just an emotional turn, was the penultimate urge to scratch that itch, to stop pretending, and be who you really are. It encapsulates and carries the underlying message of the entire film, and leaves the viewers hopefully pondering on how to approach the turn of the clock themselves.

The Career Paths of the Star-Studded Cast of ’10 Years’

10 Years is an interesting peek into the career trajectories of its star-studded cast. At the time of the picture’s release, its stars were mostly in a stable place, yet none were as big as they currently are. Channing Tatum, despite having his breakout role in Step Up 5 years earlier, was still considered to be a rising star at that point, with his biggest and most acclaimed performances in Magic Mike and 21 Jump Street still to be released the following year. Chris Pratt also had a name at the time 10 Years was showing in theaters, but he was still simply known as the funny guy in Parks and Recreation and was a few years away from Guardians of the Galaxy, the film single-handedly responsible for sending his stock into the stratosphere. 2011 was quite a year for Oscar Isaac, who both had this, and a phenomenal role in Drive, but was still a couple of years behind his popular and acclaimed performances in Ex Machina and the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Aubrey Plaza, fresh off her success in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, was also still far from the heights her career would eventually reach. The only exception to this is Rosario Dawson, who, on the other hand, already had a myriad of successful roles in films such as Men in Black II, and Death Proof.

Looking back, it is hard to believe that this film failed to get a rise from audiences. Of course, with the benefit of hindsight, the mere mention of the (now) big names in this film would be enough to pack several theaters, notwithstanding the excellent chemistry that all of them had whenever they interacted (Tatum being actually married to Dewan in real life also helped). There is a certain naturalism in the way they speak to each other, as if they were really high school buddies in real life, and it provides credence to the film’s posited spirit. 10 Years is a reminder of how youth quickly and painfully fades away. Despite how many times one tries to revisit or relive the good old days, it will never be quite the same. It could be better, or worse, depending on how you handle yourself — as magnificently shown by the stars in this film.

More than just for its star-studded cast, 10 Years is a picture that encourages viewers to do what fulfills them in relation to their youth. Whether it is leaving the past, or returning to it, depends on one’s current circumstances, whatever they may be. All that matters is that they are what makes them happy, whether it be getting some form of romantic closure, accepting that their initial plans didn’t work out, genuinely repenting for one’s past misgivings, or taking a giant leap of faith to get what one has always desired.

10 Years is available to watch on Prime Video in the U.S.

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