The New Guy | Rotten Tomatoes

The New Guy

PG-13

Released May 10, 2002

1h 24m

Comedy

List

7%

Tomatometer

99 Reviews

54%

Audience Score

50,000+ Ratings

Nerdy high school senior Dizzy Harrison (D.J. Qualls) has finally gotten lucky - he has a second chance to be the guy with no past in "The New Guy," a hilarious story about wiping the slate clean and reinventing yourself. Transforming from dud to stud at his new school with the help of inmate Luther, geeky Dizzy becomes the cool Gil Harris and sets out to destroy the popularity-obsessed social system, boost school morale and win the heart of Danielle (Eliza Dushku).

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Critics Consensus

Incoherent, silly, and unoriginal, The New Guy offers up the same old teen gross-out comedy cliches.

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Alexander Walker

London Evening Standard

Lyle Lovett plays the hero's dad: money must be tight. DJ Qualls: aiming at the dumb and dumber crowd.

Jan 12, 2018

Full Review

Nathan Rabin

AV Club

A comedy just funny enough to make viewers wish it were far funnier.

Jun 11, 2013

Full Review

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

The New Guy is a waste of talent and time.

Rated: 1/5

Dec 28, 2010

Full Review

Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

The latest in the never ending saga of ugly duckling-becomes- beautiful swan films, The New Guy flails and flaps in these well charted waters, never really going with the current or finding good solid footing on which to rest its weary plot.

Nov 13, 2019

Full Review

Steve Head

IGN Movies

It's a fun, upbeat movie, and there are scenes that are downright hilarious.

Rated: 3/5

Jun 11, 2013

Full Review

Total Film

So what's new about The New Guy? Not much, actually.

Rated: 2/5

Jun 11, 2013

Full Review

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Jorge G

A lot of people see this movie like a cliche but is a good cliche and the most important thing is that entertain.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/04/24

Full Review

Nirvana D

I watched this movie years ago and till this day it shows you how wrong it could go in high school and how right it could go. I always found it very moving to be the loser who becomes a winner. A very fun movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/17/23

Full Review

r

Listen... it's a movie that's just really of its time. Some of the humor probably won't hold up for today's audiences that weren't kids back then (and all of the cameos being one of them), being that so many of the references are from 2002, but there's a lot of things that are there just to be silly and make you laugh if you're paying attention for it! It's a world of a difference if you're looking at it through the lens of 10, 20+ years later... But it's still a sweet and goofy-humor type of comedy. It doesn't take itself seriously, and at its center it has good heart and a good message (you should really just be yourself). When I'm feeling down and need a pick-me-up, it's one of my favorite comedies to watch. Make sure you watch the director's cut, because it's the better of the versions and it makes a lot more sense with the Highlanders team/Braveheart scene. :)

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/01/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A true childhood favorite! Always and will be a classic. Fits the genre and aim it was looking and meant to for!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Embarrassing display of amateurish writing & directing. Multiple musician cameos must’ve gobbled up most of the budget, but at least that lead to the singular laugh in this “comedy” coming from Vanilla Ice. Don’t waste your time. #nitrosMovieChallenge

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/04/22

Full Review

Audience Member

Obviously completely terrible . But completely watchable without fully attention needed 2.1

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

11/09/21

Full Review

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Ed Decter

Director

DJ Qualls

Dizzy

Eliza Dushku

Danielle

Zooey Deschanel

Nora

Lyle Lovett

Bear

Jerod Mixon

Kirk

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Synopsis

Nerdy high school senior Dizzy Harrison (D.J. Qualls) has finally gotten lucky - he has a second chance to be the guy with no past in "The New Guy," a hilarious story about wiping the slate clean and reinventing yourself. Transforming from dud to stud at his new school with the help of inmate Luther, geeky Dizzy becomes the cool Gil Harris and sets out to destroy the popularity-obsessed social system, boost school morale and win the heart of Danielle (Eliza Dushku).

Director: Ed Decter
Producer: Todd Garner, Gordon Gray, Mark Ciardi
Screenwriter: David Kendall
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Production Co: Revolution Studios, Frontier Pictures, Bedlam Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Language|Crude Humor|Mild Drug References|Sexual Content)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 10, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $29.0M
Runtime: 1h 24m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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