21 Jump Street

Two underachieving cops, Schmidt and Jenko, are reassigned to the covert Jump Street unit and sent back into high school to infiltrate a new drug ring. They trade in their usual tactics for fake IDs, backpacks, and awkward attempts to fit in, and quickly learn that cliques, crushes, and social power plays have changed since they were teenagers. Schmidt's nerdy, overthinking approach collides with Jenko's athletic charm, and their mismatched methods turn routine surveillance into a series of escalating, ridiculous mishaps. Along the way they form unexpected bonds with students, including Molly Tracey, and the case forces each of them to reckon with unresolved insecurities without giving away major plot turns.

Released in 2012, the film was directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. The screenplay credits include Michael Bacall and Jonah Hill, and the movie is adapted from the original Jump Street concept by Patrick Hasburgh, updated with a modern, comedic spin.

The movie opened strongly and became a commercial success, outperforming expectations and helping relaunch the Jump Street property for a new generation. Its box office performance made a sequel a logical next step.

Its self-aware tone, frequent genre jokes, and the obvious chemistry between Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum turned several scenes into viral clips. The film helped popularize a meta approach to buddy-cop comedies and left a mark on how Hollywood reboots older properties, with moments that are still referenced in pop culture conversations.

Critics generally liked the movie, reflected by a 6.883/10 average from over 10,000 votes, with praise aimed at the comic timing and the balance of action and humor. Beneath the laughs it looks at male friendship, identity, and how carrying adolescent anxieties into adulthood can cause real friction, all while keeping the pace fast and the tone mostly light.