There’s something undeniably romantic about the idea of going back to high school. For many, those years are a unique time of self-discovery, first loves, embarrassing mistakes and endless possibilities. It’s a time that appears less complicated, from the perspective of an adult.
Hulu’s Never Change! takes that familiar idea and drags it into strange territory. The film is set in a world where a natural disaster interrupted a graduating class before they could officially finish their last weeks of school. Decades later, those former students are forced back into the classroom to finish what they started—and risk being branded dropouts.
It’s a premise loaded with comedic potential, but sadly the execution rarely matches the concept.## An Absurd Setup, With Untapped Potential
The story concerns the North Meadows High School class of 2005. A tornado had destroyed the school years ago, leaving the students with no way to finish the remainder of their education. Now in their mid-30s, they are called back for a two-week class period to officially receive their diplomas.
Former classmates meet again and memories come flooding back. Old flames are rekindled, latent hostilities surface and many characters start to question the choices they have made since leaving school. The set up lends itself to the kind of reflection and personal growth that gives the film a surprisingly emotional foundation.
It’s easy to understand why you would re-live parts of your life that are unfinished, and for a few moments the film hints at something more than just comedy under the surface.## Humor That Rarely Gets An Audience
The biggest obstacle in the film’s path is its comedy.
Much of the humor is based on repeated jokes that run out of gas way before the end credits. The running gags about bad cafeteria food, dirty kitchens and awkward social situations are repeated so much that they lose any impact they might have had in the first place.
The film also leans heavily on shock humor and awkward comedy, but a lot of those moments feel forced instead of organically funny. Several jokes seem intended to elicit reactions rather than produce real laughs, and large portions of the script feel flat.
While absurd comedies often thrive on pushing boundaries, Never Change! struggles to find the balance between ridiculous and entertaining.## Mystery Dead End
One of the more interesting aspects of the story has to do with the town’s notorious serial killer, who has been nicknamed the “Handsome Men Killer.” This is part of the city’s history and at first this odd case looks as if it might become a major subplot.
The mystery angle gives a sense of curiosity that the film desperately needs. There are many ways to generate suspense, introduce shocking twists, or even turn one of the returning classmates into a possible suspect.
Instead, the storyline is hardly paid any attention. What could have been a clever blend of comedy and mystery is ultimately relegated to a minor annoyance that has little bearing on the overall story.
A wasted opportunity for a movie that’s desperate for memorable ideas.## Fast Pace, Thin Payoff
The film, to its credit, never lags. The story moves quickly from one scenario to another in close to two hours of runtime. Characters are thrown into new situations all the time, helping the film keep up momentum even when individual scenes don’t hit.
But a fast pace can’t compensate for feeble comedy material. The film is good at introducing interesting ideas and then dropping them before they can go anywhere.
This means that viewers will be left waiting for the story to fully realize its best ideas, a payoff that never quite materializes.## Final Decision
The novel Never Change! opens with a witty premise that binds nostalgia, second chances, and zany comedy together. There’s so much potential for both comedy and genuine introspection in the idea of adults returning to high school years later.
Unfortunately, the movie never really goes for its best ideas. The comedy is hit or miss, the mystery subplot feels like a wasted opportunity and the emotional themes are mostly left unexplored. The cast does what they can with the material, but the screenplay has trouble turning a clever idea into a satisfying movie.
If you like oddball comedies there are a handful of funny moments to be found here but for the most part you will probably be leaving feeling that more could have been done with the film’s interesting premise.
Rating: 2 out of 5
A good premise and a few funny ideas aren’t enough to save a comedy that seldom lives up to its promise.