Movie Review Repost - The Three Stooges (2012)

I've been thinking about the 3 Stooges a lot recently. Why, I don't know. I guess when you grow up seeing the handiwork of comedic geniuses it really sticks with you. I guess they're sort of an acquired taste; you'll either love them or hate them. But my two brothers and I all think they're great. Here's the review I wrote in April 2012 for the 3 Stooges movie. My thoughts on it remain the same; it wasn't great, but it could've been way worse. And the only part of the film anyone cares about - the stooges - were done perfectly. In retrospect it's kind of funny that the pop culture references (Jersey Shore, Kardashian jokes) intended to make the thing more relatable to contemporary audiences end up dating the film. I mean, when was the last time you heard anything about Jersey Shore?

   I'm baaaaaaaaaack! It's the first movie review I've done in three months. Last night I saw the Three Stooges. You know, it's not everyday that you see a movie based on a 60 year old TV show and that spends another 10 years in development hell. Is this the movie that 3 Stooges fans – like myself – have been waiting for?

   The answer is yes! In fact the movie feels a lot like a really long 3 Stooges episode. It borrows the classic sound effects and even lifts some plot points from the show. It uses many of the same jokes (wordplay, puns, physical humour, etc.) as well, which I didn't mind. Of course the movie has its fair share of decent original jokes. There's a few pop culture jokes that are mediocre, but it doesn't ruin the experience. Surprisingly, the funniest jokes by far are the cruel dark humour jokes that I was totally not expecting to see in a 3 Stooges movie. But I won't dare spoil them for you here.

   I was blown away by the casting for the Three Stooges; it was perfect! Sasso, Hayes, and Diamantopoulos look, talk and behave exactly like the original stooges! Unfortunately, with the exception of that nun played by Larry David, the rest of the cast is kind of forgettable.

   Keep in mind, this is the the Three Stooges, so don't expect a cinematic masterpiece here. The plot is a little dumb, but like I said, it's basically just a long episode. In this movie, the stooges live in an orphanage until adulthood because nobody wanted to adopt them. When the orphanage is about to be shut down due to lack of funds, Moe, Larry, and Curly are sent out to find the money to keep the orphanage running. There's a few boring scenes about the orphans who you won't really care about, but don't worry; they're not very long. And in case you (or your kids) were wondering, the violence isn't real; there's a short PSA at the end telling kids to not try this at home.

   Ultimately, this film is probably the best that can be done with the Three Stooges. It is a must-see for Three Stooges fans or even just slapstick fans in general.

Final Rating: Two and a half stars out of five.