"If you're a Star Wars fan, Fanboys is for you."

Growing up in the '80s, I was surrounded by all things Star Wars as far back as I can remember. I own all the movies and have a respectable collection of action figures. I remained a big enough fan to be ecstatic back in 1999 when The Phantom Menace hit the big screen. Jump ten years later and you have Fanboys, a comedy that accurately captures the anticipation of The Phantom Menace's release told through a group of friends who are above-average Star Wars fanatics, who consider Star Wars to be the Holy Grail, and who treat the film as their guidebook to life. Some may call them movie geeks, but really, they're a step beyond movie geeks -- they're fanboys, and their story is one not to be missed.

At its core, Fanboys is a road trip movie, but it's also a movie that celebrates popular culture, movies, and those who love movies. When life-long friends and Star Wars freaks (Dan Fogler, Kristen Bell, Jay Baruchel, Christopher Marquette, Sam Huntington) learn that one of them has cancer and may not live to see the highly anticipated The Phantom Menace, they set out on a road trip from Ohio to California to break into Skywalker Ranch and steal a copy of the movie. Along the way they battle Trekkies (die-hard fans of Star Trek and bitter enemies), rock out to Rush in the coolest Star Wars van ever, and run into Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Jay and Silent Bob, Seth Rogen (twice!), Danny Trejo, and William Shatner, all while learning about life, love, and the pursuit of finding their Death Star (aka happiness).

Fanboys is not just for fans of Star Wars, but for fans of all movies, for people who dig quoting movies in their everyday life, and for those who feel a certain connection to other movie fans. The comedy is heavy throughout, mostly Star Wars-centric, focusing on the fanboys and how ridiculous they are when it comes to their love for Star Wars (for them, the movie really is a way of life). But don't think for a second that the film is making fun of them. Oh no, the film is a celebration of fanboys everywhere. Yes, they're dorky, but you have to love their enthusiasm and respect them for what they are.

As a comedy, the film feels a lot like the latest string of Judd Apatow movies, in their ability to balance raunchy comedy with heartfelt moments, and it features many Apatow regulars, including Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel. That said, Fanboys lacks the R-rated freedom and hilarious improv bits that flicks like Knocked Up, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and Superbad have excelled in. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments throughout, but none that had me in stitches -- mostly solid jokes that are a step above amusing. I wouldn't go as far as calling it "hysterical" or "hilarious. It's just funny.

Fanboys is a cinematic tribute to the group of movie fans who don't have the phrase "It's just a movie" in their vocabulary. Told with just enough heart and emotion amidst its comedic hijinks and on-the-road adventures, Fanboys isn't just another Road Trip, but a movie about friendships, and about discovering yourself and chasing your dreams. The characters and the group dynamics are surprisingly rich (and Kristen Bell is cute as a button).

The film accurately captures the time leading up to the release of The Phantom Menace and the potential Episode I had to be amazing (before we found out it sucked). Fanboys is for people who love road trip comedies and movies in general, for those who enjoy spotting cameos and referencing pop culture, and for those who find Trekkies and movies geeks funny. Fanboys is for fans of Star Wars. Whether you liked it in passing, or you still have all the action figure you had growing up, if you're a Star Wars fan, Fanboys is for you.

Grade: B

Ammon Gilbert covers the latest in horror, sci-fi, and fantasy every week for Film.com.

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