I remember loving Our Gang when I was a kid. Sitting in front of that wood grain TV watching Spanky & Alfalfa, wishing I could be a part of their adventures. Then I remember seeing the Little Rascals (1994) remake, and hating it Despising it. Worst piece of crap ever. Utter. trash. People who obviously had no respect for the original and just...screwed it up.
Well, I also remember loving The Three Stooges as a kid. Just classic material. Then I remember seeing the trailer for this new remake, and hating it. I moved on, putting it out of my mind. It got the 2012 treatment and looked like how you would expect it to look when they rape our memories for a quick buck.
Then I was invited to a top secret viewing of the flick. Free. I don't pass up free stuff. So I went. Figured I would have fun ranting about this movie later.
So , let me get this out of the way first. This movie surpassed my extremely low expectations for it. And that is where I sat with it for a while after I saw it, trying to figure out if I liked it because I had low expectations, or because I truly find it to be actually funny. I have confidently decided on the latter.
Yes, The Three Stooges 2012 is a *gasp* funny movie. I was pleasantly surprised by the humor. Yes its essentially a fart joke movie, but .it is a well made fart joke movie, which isn't easy to make. This isn't Norbit. Like the originals, there are well placed jokes,nice set ups and the story mostly moves along at a nice clip. The characters are interesting and plenty of the gags are laugh out loud funny. The film doesn't take itself seriously at all, and is better for it. I felt like the Farrelly brothers have a lot of love for the Stooges, and it really shows up on film.
You will fall in love the 10 year old versions of Larry Moe and Curly. I would kill to see an entire movie based on them at the orphanage. IMO 10 year old Curly is channeling Vern from Stand by Me. Like, eerily a pitch perfect Vern.
So the film is broken down into 3 episodes in classic Stooges format, but its all one story. You will know where the story is going right away, but it doesn't stop it from being entertaining. There are plenty of twists that make for some laugh out loud jokes that I would hate to ruin for you here. The adult versions of Larry Moe and Curly are REALLY good. I have absolutely no complaints other than Moe's jaw looked too big. That is about it. The mannerisms are flawless, sound effects are on point, even the 'special effects' are done in a way that looks like the originals. The way a bell falls on someone, or the way the boys jump on horses. It is all done in a way that looks fake, but on purpose. The attention to detail in that department made me smile.
There is some depth to Moe that we get to see that could have failed miserably as groan inducing but really works here. I was impressed to see some nuanced range. It was just the right touch.
What really makes this movie genuinely funny though are all the peripheral characters. Everyone buys in to who they are in this universe and plenty of characters will surprise you. Every single character the Stooges interacted with in even the smallest ways brought something worthwhile to the movie...just like in the originals.
*SPOILERS* So the cast of Jersey Shore is in the movie for a short time. The only real issue I had was I thought they played the Jersey Shore gag too much. Using topical humor too much traps a movie in that time period, when The Stooges should always be timeless. With that said, they used the cast well (I hate the show) and even had a hilarious, out of left field Kardashian sisters joke. So the topical stuff was funny, but I feel definitely wasn't needed. *END SPOILERS*
The greatest respect I can give this movie is it honestly made me feel 10 years old again. I was laughing like a kid. I let go of all the criticisms I thought I would want to give it and just sat back and ENJOYED IT. Cant remember the last time I did that with this kind of movie. The audience loved it too and clapped at the end. I know right? We must all be idiots, right? Nah. Take your son, nephew or goofy buddy and sit back and enjoy some new Stooge material in 2012. Its not often they get it RIGHT, so you owe it to yourself to see it on the big screen.
Well, I also remember loving The Three Stooges as a kid. Just classic material. Then I remember seeing the trailer for this new remake, and hating it. I moved on, putting it out of my mind. It got the 2012 treatment and looked like how you would expect it to look when they rape our memories for a quick buck.
Then I was invited to a top secret viewing of the flick. Free. I don't pass up free stuff. So I went. Figured I would have fun ranting about this movie later.
So , let me get this out of the way first. This movie surpassed my extremely low expectations for it. And that is where I sat with it for a while after I saw it, trying to figure out if I liked it because I had low expectations, or because I truly find it to be actually funny. I have confidently decided on the latter.
Yes, The Three Stooges 2012 is a *gasp* funny movie. I was pleasantly surprised by the humor. Yes its essentially a fart joke movie, but .it is a well made fart joke movie, which isn't easy to make. This isn't Norbit. Like the originals, there are well placed jokes,nice set ups and the story mostly moves along at a nice clip. The characters are interesting and plenty of the gags are laugh out loud funny. The film doesn't take itself seriously at all, and is better for it. I felt like the Farrelly brothers have a lot of love for the Stooges, and it really shows up on film.
You will fall in love the 10 year old versions of Larry Moe and Curly. I would kill to see an entire movie based on them at the orphanage. IMO 10 year old Curly is channeling Vern from Stand by Me. Like, eerily a pitch perfect Vern.
So the film is broken down into 3 episodes in classic Stooges format, but its all one story. You will know where the story is going right away, but it doesn't stop it from being entertaining. There are plenty of twists that make for some laugh out loud jokes that I would hate to ruin for you here. The adult versions of Larry Moe and Curly are REALLY good. I have absolutely no complaints other than Moe's jaw looked too big. That is about it. The mannerisms are flawless, sound effects are on point, even the 'special effects' are done in a way that looks like the originals. The way a bell falls on someone, or the way the boys jump on horses. It is all done in a way that looks fake, but on purpose. The attention to detail in that department made me smile.
There is some depth to Moe that we get to see that could have failed miserably as groan inducing but really works here. I was impressed to see some nuanced range. It was just the right touch.
What really makes this movie genuinely funny though are all the peripheral characters. Everyone buys in to who they are in this universe and plenty of characters will surprise you. Every single character the Stooges interacted with in even the smallest ways brought something worthwhile to the movie...just like in the originals.
*SPOILERS* So the cast of Jersey Shore is in the movie for a short time. The only real issue I had was I thought they played the Jersey Shore gag too much. Using topical humor too much traps a movie in that time period, when The Stooges should always be timeless. With that said, they used the cast well (I hate the show) and even had a hilarious, out of left field Kardashian sisters joke. So the topical stuff was funny, but I feel definitely wasn't needed. *END SPOILERS*
The greatest respect I can give this movie is it honestly made me feel 10 years old again. I was laughing like a kid. I let go of all the criticisms I thought I would want to give it and just sat back and ENJOYED IT. Cant remember the last time I did that with this kind of movie. The audience loved it too and clapped at the end. I know right? We must all be idiots, right? Nah. Take your son, nephew or goofy buddy and sit back and enjoy some new Stooge material in 2012. Its not often they get it RIGHT, so you owe it to yourself to see it on the big screen.