Taglines: The party you’ve only dreamed About
The film starts with Costa (Oliver Cooper) being filmed by Dax (Dax Flame) going into his friend Thomas’s (Thomas Mann) house. He is talking to Dax about “getting his dick wet” when Thomas’s mother shows up in the kitchen asking what he is talking about. Costa quickly deflects then go upstairs after hearing Thomas is in the shower. Costa rubs soap on Thomas’s toothbrush and pulls the curtain back.
Thomas is shocked and pulls it back. He later brushes his teeth, and tastes the soap calling Costa an asshole. Costa talks about Thomas’s birthday that night, saying they have to make it epic so they can get girls. Costa promises to take care of everything and “Make us look pimp.” Thomas is hesitant to make everything too big.
Thomas’s parents are going away for the weekend for their anniversary. His father lays down ground rules; he can have some people over but only a handful, no one goes into his office, he doesn’t mess with the swimming pool, and his Mercedes Benz is off limits. Dax spies on Thomas’s parents talking. His mom is worried about leaving, but his dad saying they don’t need to worry about Thomas because their kid is a “loser.”
Thomas blows out his birthday candles and his Mom gives him the keys to the minivan as a gift. Costa mocks it, but Thomas says at least he has a car unlike him. They drive up to school. On the way, Thomas is starting to freak about the party, and Costa tells Thomas not to bitch out. They need the party to be big so they can have popularity for once.
We see why they are so worried about being popular. Thomas, Costa, their pal J.B. (Jonathan Daniel Brown), and Dax are social pariahs, invisible to the popular kids. They just want to be noticed, especially Costa. “If you fuck this up for us, I swear to God I’ll stab you,” Costa says. Thomas relents but says only 50 people max. Just enough to be cool.
In class, Costa ignores Thomas’s demands. He sends out a mass text about the party to everyone in the class. The news of the party spreads like wildfire. Costa and Dax see Thomas heading to talk with his gal pal Kirby (Kirby Bliss Blanton) on the bleachers. Thomas mentions the party and Kirby says she might attend. Kirby mentions that she got him a present for his birthday then heads down the stairs. Despite his warning for her not to trip, she does and falls to the ground, saying she’s okay.
Costa goads Thomas into asking Alexis, the hottest girl in school to the party. Thomas seems to charm her. Thomas, J.B., Costa, and Dax head to the supermarket to buy supplies for the party and Costa shoplifts some condoms and small bottles of liquor. At the checkout they see Miles (Miles Teller) who is apparently a young sports phenom. They mention the party only to find out that is where he is attending. Miles promises to bring a bunch of liquor and girls with him.
The group heads out to buy drugs. Costa says that he does not have sex with a girl with big titties tonight he will drown himself. JB just wants a blow job or to finger a chick, showing the guys numerous ways to do it.
Thomas, Costa, and J.B. head to the house where Costa’s drug dealer T-Rick (Rick Shapiro) lives. He invites them inside and they buy some pot. In there though, Costa hands Dax a garden gnome to steal, thinking the party needs a mascot. As they go to leave with their weed. T-Rick runs out and demands his gnome back, breaking the windshield a bit with his fist. T-Rick grabs onto the hood but Thomas shakes him off.
The group peel out in the minivan, and for a moment think they are safe when T-Rick bashes them from the side of the car down the street. The group heads off, Costa calling him “a terminator.” Costa promises Thomas he can fix the windshield as he has a cousin who owns a body shop. The group gets home to find out Costa hired two 12-year-olds Everett (Brady Hender) and Tyler (Nick Nervies) to work security for their party. Thomas is shocked by it, but Costa says they are bad asses.
Project X is a 2012 American comedy film directed by Nima Nourizadeh and written by Michael Bacall and Matt Drake based on a story by Bacall, and produced by director Todd Phillips. The film follows three friends—Thomas (Thomas Mann), Costa (Oliver Cooper) and J.B. (Jonathan Daniel Brown)—who plan to gain popularity by throwing a party, a plan which quickly escalates out of their control.
The title Project X was initially a placeholder for a final title, but interest generated by the secretive title kept it in place. A nationwide open casting call was employed to find fresh faces. The majority of the cast were sourced from this casting call, but a few with prior acting credits, such as Mann, were accepted after multiple auditions. Filming took place on sets in Los Angeles over five weeks on a US$12 million budget. The film is presented as a found footage home video from the perspective of an attendee using a camera to document the night’s events.
Project X was released in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom on March 2, 2012, and grossed over $100 million worldwide during its theatrical run. Criticism focused on the “loathsome” behavior of the lead characters, the perceived misogyny and the disregard for the effects of drug use. Other reviews considered it funny and thrilling, and equated it to a modern incarnation of the 1978 comedy Animal House. Following release, incidents of large-scale parties referenced or blamed the film as an inspiration.
Project X (2012)
Directed by: Nima Nourizadeh
Starring: Thomas Mann, Oliver Cooper, Jonathan Daniel Brown, Dax Flame, Kirby Bliss Blanton, Brady Hender, Alexis Knapp, Peter Mackenzie, Caitlin Dulany, Rick Shapiro, Martin Klebba
Screenplay by: Matt Drake, Michael Bacall
Production Design by: Bill Brzeski
Cinematography by: Ken Seng
Film Editing by: Jeff Groth
Costume Design by: Alison McCosh
Set Decoration by: Lisa K. Sessions
Art Direction by: Desma Murphy
MPAA Rating: R for crude and sexual content throughout, nudity, drugs, drinking, pervasive language, reckless behavior and mayhem – all involving teens.
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: March 2, 2012
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