17 Again (2009)
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A man in his thirties finds himself magically transformed into his 17-year-old self after a mysterious accident.
The story
In 1989, high school basketball star Mike O'Donnell abandons his dreams of a professional career to be with his pregnant girlfriend, Scarlet. Years later, Mike's life has become stagnant, and his marriage to Scarlet is failing. After being fired from his job and alienated from his children, Mike experiences a mysterious accident while trying to help a man on a bridge. He suddenly finds himself transformed back into his 17-year-old self. To navigate this new reality, he poses as the son of his wealthy friend, Ned, and enrolls in high school, hoping to fix his mistakes and reconnect with his family.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1989, Mike O'Donnell gave up a basketball career for his pregnant girlfriend, Scarlet. Decades later, his life is in shambles; he is facing divorce and is estranged from his children, Maggie and Alex. After a mysterious accident involving a janitor on a bridge, Mike is magically transformed into his 17-year-old self. He begins posing as 'Mark Gold,' the son of his wealthy friend Ned, to navigate high school again. During this time, he tries to help his children—protecting Alex from a bully named Stan and trying to win back Scarlet. He also attempts to reclaim his basketball dreams. During a party, he realizes his daughter is trying to seduce him and pushes her away. Later, at a court hearing, he tries to win Scarlet back with a letter. During a final basketball game, Scarlet realizes his true identity. Mike abandons the game to chase her, and in that moment, he transforms back into his 37-year-old self. He reconciles with Scarlet and accepts his life as a father and coach, while Ned finds love with the school principal.
- First release year
- 2009
- Runtime (minutes)
- 102
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Burr Steers
- Writers
- Jason Filardi · writer
- Cast and characters
- Zac Efron · Mike O'Donnell / Mark Gold; Leslie Mann · Scarlet Porter O'Donnell; Thomas Lennon · Ned Gold; Michelle Trachtenberg · Maggie O'Donnell; Matthew Perry · Mike O'Donnell; Melora Hardin · Principal Jane Masterson; Sterling Knight · Alex O'Donnell; Hunter Parrish · Stan
- Genres
- teen fantasy comedy; coming-of-age; romantic comedy
- Themes
- second chances; parenting; regret
- Tone and mood
- comedy; fantasy
- Premise and plot tags
- time-travel-adjacent; wish-fulfillment; high-school
- Content notes
- teen
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics but was a box-office success.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 57% · scale: percentage · review count: 148; Rotten Tomatoes · score: 5.4 · scale: 10; Metacritic · score: 48 · scale: 100 · review count: 27
- Awards and nominations
- Teen Choice Award · winning films · win
- Production trivia
- The film was a box-office success, grossing $139.5 million on a $40 million budget.; There is a musical adaptation of 17 Again with a studio cast recording made in 2023.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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