Movie review: Jack Black drives the laughs in ‘D Train’

In the sometimes shocking comedy "The D Train," stars Jack Black and James Marsden play with their respective screen images — the desperate nerd and the oblivious hunk — in ways that generate some sharp laughter.

Black plays Dan Landsman, the self-appointed leader of his high-school reunion committee, which is organizing the 20th-anniversary reunion event. Dan isn't well-liked by his fellow committee members, who regularly go out for beers after their meetings — without inviting him.

But Dan has a plan to boost the reunion's flagging attendance numbers: Persuade their class's most popular student, Oliver Lawless (played by Marsden), to come home for the reunion. Oliver is an actor whose most prominent role is in an ad for suntan lotion — but that's enough proof to Dan that he is a raging success.

Dan lies to his boss (Jeffrey Tambor) that he's about to land a big client in L.A. so he can get the company to pay for a flight to California to connect with Oliver. But he discovers maintaining the lie becomes harder when the boss wants to go along — and when a night of Hollywood debauchery becomes something Dan must hide from his wife, Stacey (Kathryn Hahn).

The writing-directing team of Jarrad Paul and Andrew Mogel (who co-wrote the 2008 Jim Carrey vehicle "Yes Man") create a scenario that creates maximum out of the awkwardness between Dan and Oliver — and what happens when both men's self-delusions blow up in their faces.

Marsden continues his streak of roles that hilariously mock his leading-man good looks. The supporting cast has its share of funny moments, led by Hahn, Tambor and Mike White as a member of the reunion committee.

Best of all is Black, whose portrayal of Dan, the has-been who never was except in his own mind, vibrates with nervous tension and crackling comic energy. It's his live-wire performance that propels "The D Train" to a satisfying destination.

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'The D Train'

A desperate attempt to liven up a high-school reunion backfires in this scathing comedy that premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.

Where • Area theaters.

When • Opens Friday, May 8.

Rating • R for strong sexual material, nudity, language and drug use

Running time • 97 minutes.