Van Wilder

Vance "Van" Wilder, a charismatic and irreverent seventh-year senior at Coolidge College, reigns supreme among his peers. With no inclination to graduate, Van's days are spent cruising campus in his custom-built golf cart, posing for figure drawing classes with unapologetic abandon, and orchestrating extravagant soirees and fundraisers that have the student body eating out of the palm of his hand. His closest confidant is his roommate Hutch (Teck Holmes), while his newly hired assistant Taj Mahal Badalandabad (Kal Penn) - a repressed foreign exchange student from India with an unrequited passion for all things sensual - often finds himself caught in the crossfire of Van's antics.

Van's father (Tim Matheson), incensed by his son's refusal to take the college route, drops in on Coolidge College intent on dragging him back home. When Van resists, his father cuts off his financial support, leaving Van staring down the barrel of dis-enrollment due to unpaid tuition. In a desperate bid to stay afloat, Van pleads with the registrar, Deloris Haver (Cynthia Fancher), for an extension - and, after a certain...indulgence, she hands him the necessary paperwork. Realizing he only needed to ask in the first place, Van now faces a daunting task: securing four monthly payments of $5,000 each to keep his academic dreams alive.

Enter Gwen Pearson (Tara Reid), a talented journalist struggling to make waves on the school paper. Her editor assigns her to capture the elusive essence of Van Wilder, notorious for rebuffing interviews. Undeterred by Van's initial reluctance, Gwen goes all out to get the scoop, even resorting to running tuition classes and offering her services as a sex therapist in exchange for financial backing - all in pursuit of that one big story. Meanwhile, the Lambda Omega Omega fraternity, the campus's most hapless organization with their signature bridging eyebrows, approaches Van with an offer he can't refuse: throw them a blowout party and they'll pay him a grand to boost their popularity.

Gwen overhears two Lambdas raving about the party's success and Van's involvement, and she seizes the opportunity to write a piece that credits Van as the host of the bash. Initially incensed by the article, Van realizes its potential as a "cash cow" that could keep him in school - and eventually agrees to sit down with Gwen for a follow-up interview, having lost a hockey bet to her (her brothers play professional hockey, and Van is still reeling from his own hubris). With the prospect of making the front page of the graduation issue within her grasp, Gwen sets out to capture Van's essence in a way that will leave readers spellbound.

As Gwen's relationship with her boyfriend, Richard "Dick" Bagg (Daniel Cosgrove), begins to fray, she finds herself growing closer to Van, the charismatic entrepreneur who has captured her attention. Unbeknownst to Gwen, Richard is determined to sabotage their budding romance and concocts a series of escalating pranks aimed at Van. The prank war escalates to new heights when Van, Taj, and Hutch substitute canine semen for cream filling in a batch of pastries, leaving the trio in stitches.

Meanwhile, Gwen's curiosity gets the better of her as she delves deeper into Van's academic history, uncovering a shocking revelation: despite being just 18 units short of graduation, Van has been avoiding classes for years. Her discovery sparks anger and hurt, leading Van to disassociate himself from Gwen and take a long, hard look at his life.

As the dust settles, Van makes a vow to work tirelessly towards earning his degree for Gwen's sake, but Richard sees this as an opportunity to propose to Gwen once more. However, she rejects him outright, and instead finds solace in Van's company. Unbeknownst to them both, Richard is secretly plotting to sabotage Van's latest party, organized by Jeannie (Emily Rutherfurd), a member of the sister sorority. He orchestrates the arrival of under-aged children at the party, gets them drunk, and then calls campus police to the scene, leading to Van's arrest for providing alcohol to minors.

With his future at Coolidge hanging in the balance, Van is left feeling defeated and demoralized. However, Taj's words of encouragement inspire him to fight back against the charges, rallying the student body to stand by his side as he faces a university panel featuring his arch-nemesis Professor McDougal (Paul Gleason), Deloris, and Richard.

As the law club dedicates itself to guiding Van through the appeal process, the rest of the student body rallies behind him, driven by a sense of collective responsibility. With hindsight and Gwen's counsel, Van takes a bold step during the hearing, acknowledging that though he didn't initially intend for underage students to attend the party, he nonetheless feels accountable for ensuring its legality. He makes a heartfelt plea to the court, offering to complete his remaining coursework before the semester concludes in exchange for being allowed to graduate with a degree in leisure studies. In a stunning turn of events, Professor McDougal's decisive vote swings the 3-2 decision in Van's favor, paving the way for him to prepare for his finals - a daunting task given the tight six-day deadline.

Meanwhile, Gwen seeks revenge against Richard for his underhanded tactics and infidelity with Jeannie. She exacts her retribution by secretly adding a powerful laxative to his pre-test protein shake, rendering him unable to hold out during the Medical College Admission Test. As he rushes to find a bathroom, Richard is intercepted by one of the doctors from the medical school's admissions committee, who invites him for an impromptu meeting. Faced with the unbearable discomfort, Richard makes a hasty exit, stripping off his pants and having a violent episode in the wastebasket, much to the horror of those present.

Van approaches his final exam with Professor McDougal with a mix of frustration and resignation, but somehow manages to complete it within the allotted time. McDougal himself delivers the news that Van has passed, acknowledging that he had been pushing him harder all these years because he believed Van was capable of more. Gwen pens an article for the graduation issue, highlighting Van's numerous contributions to the students and staff at Coolidge, his remarkable feat of cramming a semester's worth of studying into just six days, and Richard's Machiavellian plot to have Van expelled. As the dust settles, Richard is left reading the article in a restroom, his medical school dreams and reputation lying in tatters.

As the campus erupts into a vibrant celebration of Van's academic triumph, a raucous party unfolds in their name, a testament to the joy and camaraderie that permeates this milestone moment. Amidst the revelry, a surprise guest arrives, as Van's father makes a dramatic appearance, his expression transformed from one of disappointment to beaming pride. The patriarch's sudden shift is a direct result of Gwen's insightful article, which has clearly had a profound impact on him, forcing him to confront and overcome his own biases. As the truth begins to sink in, Van's father offers a heartfelt apology, acknowledging the errors of his past and expressing deep pride in their child's remarkable achievements. Meanwhile, the air is filled with anticipation as Gwen makes her way back into Van's life, the two sharing a tender reunion that speaks volumes about the depth and resilience of their bond.