Don’t Graduate. Celebrate.|Mar. 29, 2002|USA|92 Min.|R
Genre: Comedy;Romance
Description: National Lampoon’s Van Wilder is a 2002 comedy film that follows the story of Vance “Van” Wilder, a confident and witty seventh-year senior at Coolidge College. Known for his eccentric lifestyle, Van spends his days driving around campus in a customized golf cart, posing nude for art classes, and organizing extravagant parties and fundraisers for his fellow students. When his father discovers that Van is still in school, he cuts off financial support. Desperate for money, Van approaches the college registrar, Deloris Haver, and secures a payment extension after a brief romantic encounter. Realizing he could have simply asked for the extension, Van continues his unconventional college life.
To fund his education, Van is hired by the Lambda Omega Omega fraternity to throw a massive party to boost their reputation. The event’s success catches the attention of Gwen Pearson, a reporter for the school newspaper, who writes an article crediting Van as the host. Seeing the article as a potential “cash cow,” Van agrees to an interview with Gwen. However, her boyfriend, Richard “Dick” Bagg, a pre-med student and president of his fraternity, grows jealous of their growing bond and begins plotting to sabotage their relationship.
As tensions rise, Van and Richard engage in a series of escalating pranks. Meanwhile, Gwen discovers that Van has been avoiding classes for years and is 18 credits short of graduating. Upset that she dug into his personal life, Van distances himself from her and begins reflecting on his choices. Richard’s schemes reach a climax when he orchestrates a plan to have Van arrested by smuggling underage kids into one of his parties and getting them drunk. Van is charged with supplying alcohol to minors and faces expulsion from Coolidge College.
Cast director: Walt Becker
Cast actor: Ryan Reynolds, Tara Reid, Tim Matheson, Kal Penn, Teck Holmes, Daniel Cosgrove, Emily Rutherfurd, Paul Gleason, Erik Estrada, Curtis Armstrong
Original name: National Lampoon’s Van Wilder