Orange County

Shaun Brumder is a teenager in Orange County, California, whose life revolves around surfing until he finds a novel by Marcus Skinner, a writer who teaches at Stanford. The book changes his ambitions: he decides he wants to become a writer and leave his chaotic family behind. His hopes of studying under Skinner collapse when his application is rejected because his guidance counselor submits the wrong form. Refusing to accept the outcome, Shaun sets out with his girlfriend Ashley and his unreliable brother Lance to persuade the school to reconsider.

Jake Kasdan directed the film, his second feature after Zero Effect, from a screenplay by Mike White, who also appears as Mr. Burke. Colin Hanks plays Shaun, with Jack Black as Lance, Schuyler Fisk as Ashley, Catherine O'Hara as Cindy Beugler and John Lithgow as Bud Brumder. Paramount, Scott Rudin Productions and MTV Films produced it on a budget of about 18 million dollars, and it took roughly 43 million dollars worldwide.

On IMDb the film holds 6.2 out of 10 from around 54,000 votes, and on TMDB 6 out of 10 from about 520 votes. A critics' rating of 5.6 out of 10 from 121 reviews places it slightly below the audience scores, which point to a modestly received comedy rather than a widely praised one.