DW Atkinson, one of the moving forces behind Cinesation, is perhaps the biggest Stooge fan I know. Even his license plate and email have variations of NYUK (the Curly laugh) on them.
Full disclosure: I’m not the biggest Stooge fan ever. I don’t find them hilariously funny, as some do, but I respect them. When I see what they were able to do with the 35-cent budget allocated to them by Columbia, and I compare it to what many of the other Columbia comedians were able to accomplish with the same money, the Stooges blow them out of the water every time. I figured that Mr. Atkinson was the most qualified to review this modern-day version of classic comedy.
DW’s review starts below the trailer for the new film.
The Three Stooges: Those who saw the film this weekend — a 58% male crowd — didn’t love it, assigning it an average grade of B-, according to market research firm CinemaScore. Even if word-of-mouth on the movie doesn’t end up being fantastic, 20th Century Fox didn’t spend much to produce the film: $37 million.
The word film was used but it was digital for me. B- is generous. What I could do 37 million? Don’t get me started.
I just watched the new Three Stooges movie.
I could tell it was partially made as an homage to Howard, Fine & Howard.
But too many times it was it was an Oh-man moment for me. Not in a good way either.
And as usual, most of the good parts were in the trailer spoiling too many scenes.
The movie just didn’t work for me. It couldn’t decide what it wanted to be or how to get there.
It was funny in parts, made me smile and laugh.
But when it’s over, the “what the hell was that” question smacked me upside the head faster than Moe with a shovel.
I am not a fan of the Farrelly’s work with the exception of Shallow Hal.
In fact, after paying to see Dumb & Dumber back in the day, I vowed to never pay to see another Farrelly movie.
I still think it’s a dumb movie and I was dumber paying to see it. I could have edited it down to 30 minutes.
Anyways, like most Farrelly flicks, body fluids/functions have a spotlight and the Stooges are not immune.
The nursery scene went a little long but it was funny at first. The Curly gas scene worked because unlike
some other gags, it wasn’t over worked.
I don’t understand the reasoning for the assorted famous supporting cast members and I don’t care enough to look it up. Larry David? Really?
I don’t believe a real Stooge fan will like the new Three Stooges Movie,
but having said that, they won’t hate it either.
It could have been worse. Remember the Laurel & Hardy movie back in 1999?
How would I rate the film?
Would I go see it again? NO
Would I buy it on DVD next month? NO
I give it three Nyuk’s = a grade of C
Seeing the trailer made even a grade of C seem overly generous. Yes, I am female and not one who likes the Stooges. Like Dr. Film, I mostly respect what they were able to do on no budget, but without really liking it very much.
But this? So. . . not an attempt at a bio pic, which might have been interesting (although, like most of those, probably not). What is it? Bringing the 3 Stooges into the 21st century? Oh yeah, that’s a winner. Not. WHAT IS THE POINT? Seems to me that real Stooges fans should stay away in droves.
While they brought the Stooges to a new century, only two new moves/slaps were added to the bag of tricks. Not enough to consider them to be freshened up, but recycled and traditional. The new Stooges themselves were good enough to stop anyone looking up the originals on YouTube etc. from saying WTF? That’s more than any fan could ask.
I didn’t really think it was terrible as I thought it was going to be in the first place because surprisingly, it did have me laugh. However, those laughs came in way too far apart from each other and the film as a whole, ends up being a little too stretched out. Would have del Toro, Penn, and Carrey made this any better? Who knows?!? Good review.
Hello! I’ve been reading your blog for a while now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from Atascocita Tx! Just wanted to say keep up the good job!
My 5-yr old nephew loved it, a discerning lad (no doubt). I went to see the Metropolitan Opera’s HD broadcast of Verdi’s LA TRAVIATA at a multiplex where STOOGES was playing across the hall, and the Met performance was so bad I thought of going over the way, especially as soprano Natalie Dessay’s infantile acting style makes Curly Howard’s a palpable Ralph Richardson in restraint. Plus Dessay’s hairdo sometimes resembles Larry Fine’s.