John Hughes wouldn't know what to make of a film like Terri. It's a coming of age story with a turn for the weird, and a hint of the heart that made Hughes' films great. The story is of overweight high school outcast, Terri(Jacob Wysocki), a guy who goes to class in his pajamas because they're "comfortable", and suffers the abuse of his peers in silence. That is until the inquisitive assistant principal, Mr. Fitzgerald(John C. Reilly) takes the lonely boy under his wing. Under Fitzgerald's awkward guidance, Terri becomes friends with the hot girl in school(Olivia Crocicchia) and a disturbed troublemaker(Bridger Zadina).
Directed by indie filmmaker, Azazel Jacobs, Terri is a little bit uneven comically but emotionally honest and sincere. The sweet 'n sour friendship between Fitzgerald and Terri provides some great laughs, and is clearly the film's finest moments. Creed Bratton, who some might recognize as himself on The Office
, adds a touch of poignancy as Terri's uncle suffering from a form of Alzheimers. Jacobs deserves credit for not taking Terri in the direction you'd expect a familiar story like this to go. There's no bully that Terri needs to defeat. No perfect woman he has to win. And it's pretty clear that life is never going to be easy for Terri, even as he learns to accept who he is. The beginning of the film is a little confusing with a swiftly abandoned subplot involving mice in the attic, and there is a long stretch where Reilly's absence on screen is a real drag. He helps keep the engine of this film chugging along.Despite its problems, Terri is an unconventional comedy featuring a number of note perfect performances by young actors eager to show off their talents.
