UPDATE: We've gotten some information that clarifies things a whole lot. 21 and Over did indeed shoot in China, but only for three days for a single scene. The bulk of the film was shot on location in Washington state, where the three main characters attend a fictional college. Now this is all starting to make sense! Read the original article below. 21 and Over has the odd distinction of being at the center of an international political conflict…. while it was still shooting. Most of us had no idea the movie existed until a human rights organization spoke up against its producer, Relativity Media, for shooting in the Shandong province of China, where blind activist Chen Guangcheng was being held under house arrest. It was weird to hear that an American company was shooting something in China with apparently no knowledge of the political situation, but even weirder to realize the film in question was a raunchy comedy about a kid's 21st birthday… with no apparent reason whatsoever for shooting in China.
Now we're getting out first look at 21 and Over and it's exactly what you expect-- a comedy about three dude friends that is not set in China, but was filmed there for completely mysterious reasons. Take a look at the image below.
The two stars you might recognize there are Miles Teller, who was a standout in the Footloose remake and also appeared opposite Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole, and Skylar Astin, who romanced Anna Kendrick in Pitch Perfect earlier this year. They're joined by Justin Chon, who appears in the Twilight movies as one of Bella's normal, human friends, and who plays the birthday boy in this movie, which as you can guess involves a 21st birthday. Here's the official synopsis below:
Skylar Astin (Pitch Perfect), Miles Teller (Footloose) and Justin Chon (Twilight) star in 21 AND OVER, a hilarious movie that showcases a rite of passage gone horribly wrong. Straight-A college student Jeff Chang has always done what’s expected of him. But when his two best friends Casey and Miller surprise him with a visit for his 21st birthday, he decides to do the unexpected for a change, even though his critical medical school interview is early the next morning. What was supposed to be one beer becomes one night of chaos, over indulgence and utter debauchery in this outrageous comedy.
21 and Over is set to open March 1 next year, in what I think can depressingly be called the "Project X early spring slot." With rising stars this appealing 21 and Over might have more to offer-- and it's at least got the incredible mystery of why on earth this thing was filmed in China.
