Fanboys

Right now you can watch Fanboys in the US on Philo and YouTube TV — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. Its 6/10 TMDB score, built from 905 ratings, reflects a title that consistently delivers. Watch it for Sam Huntington — stay for everyone else around them. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Philo.

There is a reason Fanboys keeps coming up in conversation. The jokes in Fanboys land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. In 1999, Star Wars fanatics take a cross-country trip to George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch so their dying friend can see a screening of The Phantom Menace before its release. Sam Huntington and Jay Baruchel lead a cast with the timing to make it work. Fanboys came out in 2009. What keeps Fanboys from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, Fanboys respects your intelligence. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. Sam Huntington is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.