The Three Stooges

The Farrelly brothers have done some funny stuff, but I don't trust them. Maybe they get into a zone and don't realize it but sometimes they cross the line for me. This was clearly shown in the movie "Dumb and Dumber" when Jim Carrey sold a blind kid a dead bird with it's head attached to it by tape. This wasn't dumb, or even dumber it was just plain mean.

It's that mean streak that sometimes pop up that made me worried when they took on the Three Stooges. The originals were no shrinking violets so it seemed to me that it would be easier to go over the line. Luckily that didn't happen. The movie is a very respectful of its main characters.

That is unfortunately the problem of the film.

Quite simple "respect" and "Three Stooges" work about as well as a matter/anti-matter cocktail. While the Stooges in this film do some pretty wild anarchic gags the tone of the film is just a little too laid back. Like in some bad comedies there's a sense that the film is waiting one extra beat to let the audience laugh it up.

The plot is straight out of the old shorts. The Stooges have been raised up in an orphanage by nuns. The orphanage is about to get shut down so the boys have to go raise up and outrageous amount of money in a month. As they search for work they accidently get involved with a murder for hire scheme and meet again an old friend who got adopted by rich parents at the expense of Moe. That last little subplot really has no place in a Stooge's film as it leads to a too gooey "I luvs use guys" moment.

It's not all bad though. Will Sasso made a fine Curley, and Larry David was great fun as Sister Mary-Mengele. Some of the gags were fairly good slaps stick and there were points where I admit to a smile and a chuckle. So if you are a fan it is definitely worth a look.