MOVIE REVIEW ... THE THREE STOOGES

 

You have to hand it to the Farrelly Brothers.  After directing hits such as ‘There’s something about Mary’ and ‘Dumb & Dumber’ there isn’t any comedic path they’d avoid.  ‘The Three Stooges’ sees them at perhaps their most comfortable.  With its slapstick vaudeville style humour a perfect fit for their take no prisoners’ brand of comedy knowing it may be out of sorts in this politically correct era.  That hasn’t stopped them before and their glee in providing a fine homage to a trio unable to avoid cartoonish violence and silly mayhem is clearly seen.

Larry (Sean Hayes), Curly (Will Sasso) and Moe (Chris Diamantopoulos) are three friends meeting in an orphanage.  Growing up together and causing plentiful mayhem much to the chagrin of the holy nuns, their antics know no bounds.  Discovering their beloved home will close due to their actions, the trio decide to raise money to save it.  Heading to the city misfortune and milady become their calling cards.  With intelligence levels low and physical mis-haps high, time becomes their main enemy as the deadline to closure looms.

From the very first scene ‘The Three Stooges’ doubly mocks and pays homage to its cinematic inspiration.  There’s not much of a story – something it shares with the dozens of original Stooges shorts – and it becomes a cipher for the increasingly outlandish events.  Thankfully the Farrelly Brothers have a lot of fun with the material and are clearly huge fans.  Whilst lacking any Marx Brothers-style wit or Charlie Chaplain’s cleverness, the Stooges didn’t last decades for nothing and this movie gives them due respect.

The central cast are great and perfectly embody the original actor’s mannerisms.  They keep up with the frenetic pace and it’s interesting how the Farrelly’s incorporate their character’s violent world into today’s mood with reality TV given a wicked serve.  Fans should be happy with this tribute which refuses to be anything other than total nonsense.  There’s no meaning anywhere – just dumb fun – but done in a way showing how the Stooges left their mark on the comedic landscape.

Some may be aghast at the thought of a new ‘Three Stooges’ movie although this take is no worse than some bearing the ‘comedy’ label.  An old fashioned nostalgic romp, the Farrelley Brother’s bravery in revisiting the inept trio is commendable in an age of more cynical humour.

Movie Review Rating  6 / 10

Movie Review by Patrick Moore

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