D.J. Qualls will never be a leading man. He’ll never be a megastar cut from the cloth of a Brad Pitt, a Tom Cruise … hell, he can barely be a Tom Green – and that’s nothing to shoot for.
What he will forever be, though, is a Qualls, and for roles in such films as “”Road Trip”” and “”The New Guy,”” that’s just right. Perfect, even. He might even construct a career out of it, as long as audiences continue revisiting mildly amusing retro trips to the hallowed high school halls to watch this lanky loser play the “”come from behind”” hero they either knew well or, worse, were themselves.The oft-played zero-to-hero fuels “”The New Guy,”” director Ed Decter’s slapdash comedy about picked on geek Dizzy (Qualls) who’s coached by a convict (Eddie Griffin) on how to be tough, allowing the scrawny brat to transfer schools and create a new persona. A jolt of confidence allows Dizzy to conquer all types of fears. He catches the eye of the stunning head cheerleader (Eliza Dushku), single-handedly transforms the school’s dud of a football program into vicious on-field killers … but leaves his tried and true pals in the dust of his newfound popularity.While “”Guy”” drapes itself in shreds of formulaic plot devices – including the resident Big Man on Campus who ultimately exposes Dizzy for the nerd he really is – the comedy manages to glide by on the occasional poignant laugh and dated gag. Dizzy’s relationship with his old friends provides an emotional center. The fact that they form a suburban white funk band finds a nugget of humor in what could have been a bland setup. And while Dushku and Qualls possess little chemistry, each brings a sparkly persistence to their roles that only helps.Still, “”Braveheart”” jabs might have been funnier years ago. And just what is Qualls doing slipping in and out of jail after Griffin coaches him? Misplaced quirks like that will have you shaking your head in mild disbelief that the filmmakers even attempted them, let alone pulled it off. Just don’t pay too much attention. Piecing “”New Guy”” together logically will produce pressure headaches, and ruin part of the fun.Grade: C-THE EXTRASThe “”New Guy”” DVD contains very few extras. A video for the catchy power-punk tune “”I’m Just a Kid”” by Simple Plan is included, and both Qualls and Dushku float through the clip. There’s also the film’s trailer, but little else.Grade: DBy Sean O’ConnellSept. 1, 2002