‘Rooster’ review: Steve Carell finds himself in a feel-good college comedy

Among projects like Ted Lasso again It is decreasingshowrunner Bill Lawrence has cornered the market on feel-good comedies. His new comedy for HBO Roostercreated by Matt Tarses (Scrubs), the latest entry in that subgenre. It’s also very original on the “coming-of-age” front, with its college setting that evokes the students’ self-discovery and independence.

However, here the focus is not so much on the students as on the faculty, including new writer-in-residence Greg Russo (Steve Carell) and his daughter, art history professor Katie (Charly Clive). Like their students, these teachers have many soul-searching tasks. Their subsequent stories of college renaissance show good warmth, even if they tread familiar ground by Lawrence’s standards.

What Rooster about?

A best-selling author who is well read on the beach, Greg never expected to teach. The reason for visiting Ludlow College in New England in the first place was to check on Katie. Her husband, fellow professor Archie (Phil Dunster), has left her for grad student Sunny (Lauren Tsai)… and everyone at school knows it. Faced with all this humiliation and scrutiny, Katie has a sense of danger and sets Archie’s house on fire. Okay, maybe not that it makes sense, though it was danger!

With Katie about to lose her job, college president Walter Mann (John C. McGinley) offers Greg a deal: He’ll let Katie continue teaching. if Greg teaches a semester-long creative writing course. In this way, Ludlow gets a boost from being the best seller in his classes, and Katie’s life doesn’t go well. Greg agrees, hoping to become more involved in Katie’s life, while unwittingly throwing himself into the trials and tribulations of modern education.

Rooster the daughter’s joke is good.

Steve Carell and Charlie Clive in “Rooster.”
Credit: Katrina Marcinowski / HBO

Rooster marks a journey of self-discovery for both Katie and Greg.

Katie has to think about the trauma of Archie’s betrayal, which destroyed her confidence and sense of belonging on campus. His father’s new, constant presence for Ludlow is both a comfort and a claustrophobic reminder of why he came to see him in the first place, causing a push and pull between resentment and genuine gratitude. Clive walks that line well, serving as a foil to Carell’s overzealous father figure.

Same with Jason Sudeikis at Ted Lasso and Jason Segel It decreases, Carell’s Greg is often enthusiastic to the point of arrogance. Yet his involvement in Katie’s life is laced with enough sweetness to turn those oppressive qualities into endearing ones, and Carell’s performance brims with warmth and self-effacing charm.

In addition to helping Katie through her worst episodes, Greg realizes that his new role at Ludlow could be a fresh start for him. He didn’t go to college as a young adult, but as Rooster prove, it’s never too late to embrace the transformative power of college. For Greg, that means a chance to come out of his soft shell and become more like Rooster, the superhero of his books. So begins his party season, complete with beer pong with the students, meeting Walter’s assistant Cristle (a delightful Annie Mumolo), and cool shades for the boys.

Although it’s fun to watch Carell let loose, just for him Rooster they’re even better when they discover Katie and Greg’s strange relationship and the shenanigans of Ludlow’s door, brought to life by an amazing ensemble cast. McGinley’s gossip-loving Walter is a lad, taking most of his meetings in a swimming pool so hot that his colleagues have no choice but to sweat while sitting in the air. Danielle Deadwyler shines as poetry professor Dylan, whose dry wit and experience at Ludlow make him the perfect guide for Greg’s first semester. And Dunster gives off an annoying pretense as Archie, the one character who can make Greg truly toxic. (“You’re a bad person, and I hate you,” Greg spat at him, recalling Michael Scott’s pure hatred for Toby The office.)

Elsewhere, Rooster and Tsai focuses on Sunny’s desires to make her more than just another Woman at Katie and Archie’s wedding. (Even though he wasn’t an actual student of Archie’s, I still think he should go to jail for being one bad to both women!) Even minor characters like Sunny’s roommate (Robby Hoffman) and the local cop (Rory Scovel) become quick-witted criminals, and the students we meet at Ludlow, while often archetypal try-hards or slackers, still feel real enough to give the campus a sense of belonging.

Rooster we face a generational divide on college campuses.

Danielle Deadwyler and Steve Carell in “Rooster.”
Credit: Katrina Marcinowski / HBO

Greg has a hard time adjusting to life on a small liberal arts campus, as the students are more careful than what he has to do or say. Greg calls a stubborn student a “white whale” as Moby Dick reference won’t fly here. Nor will he perform the “Walk Like an Egyptian” dance in a poor attempt to salvage an embarrassing fall.

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Both of these situations lead to the writing of resistance behavior. Yet somehow, Rooster he is able to reverse this division between Greg’s students and Ludlow in a way that does not match the students’ social awareness, or scolds Greg’s ignorance. It holds all parties involved lightly, while still finding merit in their positions. Students can be big, but they are also determined to change the world for the better. Again Rooster highlights that Greg comes from a great place to want to listen and learn, something he shares with some of Lawrence’s later heroes.

To do that, it’s hard not to think about it Ted Lasso again It is decreasing throughout Rooster. The changing therapy sessions at work are many, and the always cheerful Greg, like Ted and Jimmy, feels deep pain. His close relationship with troubled student Tommy (Maximo Salas) also feels reminiscent of Jimmy’s strength and patience Sean (Luke Tennie). It is decreasing.

That familiarity risks feeling closed at times, but the element of college satire pays off Rooster just enough bite to set yourself apart. It’s a heartwarming tale of finding yourself again and helping others along the way, and that’s worth crying out for.

Rooster premieres March 8 at 10 pm ET on HBO and HBO Max.