Inspired by director John Stalberg Jr.’s own experiences, “High School” is about a valedictorian and his stoner childhood friend’s plan to make their entire school high in order to avoid a drug test and the resulting expulsion.
“It was a blast,” Matt Bush said. “It was 17-year-old Matt’s high school dream.”
The movie was filmed in a real high school for five weeks, allowing the cast to bond together. Certain scenes were also filmed in a hotel, which enabled a few of the cast members to crash a nearby prom.
Matt Bush originally auditioned for the part of Sebastian, one of the antagonists. Then Bush was later advised to try out for Henry, the main character.
“I read the script and I actually laughed out loud,” Matt Bush said. “And that’s always a good sign, I think.”
Colin Hanks was also brought the script and asked to work on the movie. Before accepting the script, Hanks talked to writer and director John Stalberg Jr. and had a conversation about how the movie would be filmed.
“It was a chance for me to do something very silly, sort of out there,” said Hanks. “A lot of films are sort of derivative and seem to always have the same plot, the same structure, but the characters and locations are different.”
Filming the movie allowed the actors to reminisce about their own high school memories. Bush did not entirely relate to his character, while Hanks related mostly to Psycho Ed. “I seemed to have little moments of every single character.”
Academy Award winner Adrien Brody was also in the film as an intense drug dealer and child prodigy, while Michael Chiklis, barely recognizable, was the typical principal that demands control but also has perverted thoughts and behaviors throughout the story.
“Each actor and their character are playing some type of an archetype, and they do a fantastic job,” Hanks said. “You find things in everyone that you sort of like,” such as Chiklis’s character, which he claims people ‘like to hate.’
There were many notable scenes throughout the movie, although Hank’s favorite to shoot was listening intently to Chiklis’s monologue describing new and different drug phrases, such as ‘Banging down a stiff lucy,’ while reacting casually.
“It’s really fun when you get to watch an actor have an absolute blast coming up with their character,” Hanks said. “Michael really enjoyed the fact that he was playing a pompous douchebag and saying these ridiculous lines.”
Bush also noted that he enjoyed filming certain scenes, like the one where he is stuck under Chiklis’s desk and has to endure the character’s attempt to masturbate right in front of him.
“High School” comes out in theatres on June 1st. It’s an obvious stoner comedy that has more twists and well-known actors than you’d expect.
“I’ve never heard anything like this before,” Colin Hanks said. “It was a very simple thing, ‘Oh it’s about two kids that dose their entire school with pot brownies. Oh, okay, yeah that can be pretty funny.’”
