Get ready Efronites, as the High School Musical star is all grown up! Not only is he more of a twenty something man magnet rather than a tweenie twisting jazz hand sensation, its pretty clear from his new film That Awkward Moment that he’s trying to break free into the more adult marketed rom-coms. However the question remains, is this such a good thing?
Well lets take a look at That Awkward Moment, not just a film that Zac Efron stars in, he also Exec Produced it, so there’s definitely something a bit more grown up about this actor, he’s branching out. However the content of the film can still draw his stable audience of young (and not so young) fans.
The film follows Three best friends as they find themselves where we’ve all been – at that confusing moment in every dating relationship when you have to decide “So…where is this going?” They end up making a pact to stay single and enjoy avoiding “that awkward moment” and the moment the agreement is made, of course, they start to meet the girls of their dreams, sort of…
This is ultimately a fun film which you can take or leave. It’s more one for the girls who want to drool over the male eye candy rather than take away any deep and meaningful message about relationships and the like. However, it is fun in parts, there are some memorable scenes, particularly the mis-hap fancy dress scene where Efrons character Jason makes quite an impression on Imogen Poot’s (Ellie) parents, and it does show you how relationships can be fun and exciting when they’re just starting out. There is also the Viagra/toilet scene (which has been used to market the film where possible), where we see a naked Zac Efron trying to go to the toilet ‘post pill’ which caused one or two chuckles from the audience.
However, there are key factors in this film that really do bring it down. As it progresses, there are such cliché moments of chauvinism and male ‘wolf-pack’ bonding that really makes you feel like this film is just trying a bit too hard. There is also excessive dropping of the ‘F-Bombs’ which at times feel unnecessary and something that only the scriptwriter felt would make the film resonate with the 20 something generation of today’s society, sadly that is altogether slightly misunderstood.
On the plus side, the characters are fun, likeable in parts and laughable in others, so its not a film that you will go and see and wont like. It is a more mature performance for Zac Efron, he definitely is trying to strike that balance of trying something new whilst not alienating his current fanbase, which is a wise move. Michael B. Jordan plays the married too young, quarter life crisis character with ease and believability and Miles Teller’s ‘Geek Chic’ sidekick completes the boys club well. Imogen Poots is great as the slightly quirky, pretty love interest and provides the voice of reason throughout. 
So That Awkward Moment, isn’t totally awkward in itself. Its definitely one for selective audiences of the Efronite movement and maybe a few more, the acting is good and if you can believe that young twenty-something’s can really live in those large bare-bricked Manhattan apartments with cool creative jobs designing book covers for a big publishing house, then this film is the film for you.
That Awkward Moment is in cinemas today.
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