The Three Stooges

We ain't gonna take it any Moe.

Running Time: 92 minutes.

Media: Blu-Ray.

Nyuk, nyuk, nyuk! The love I had for these guys back in the 1980's was unfathomable, and now that this film was available on Blu-Ray actually made me want to see it more. I had little chance to see this film when it came out, especially considering it was also in limited release here in Australia. A real shame, as I would have loved it.

I saw one very adamant Youtube member post that he was boycotting the film, that it was disgraceful and that it besmirched the good name of the Three Stooges. Had he seen the film in its entirety? No. Had he considered that three minutes or less was sufficient enough to guarantee a suitable review? No. I had similar aspects with regards to Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and look where that has led. I decided to give this film the benefit of the doubt and tried it myself.

Boy, was I far from disappointed! The movie has been "divided" into three separate acts, just like the old Stooges TV movies, and it graces many concepts that were essential to the Stooges genre. The hair ripping, the ear pulling, the nostril grab, face slaps, eye pokes, the list goes on. And I never laughed so much in my life.

The story revolves around the Stooges' attempts to raise $830,000 to save the orphanage where they grew up. Everyone else pales in comparison when the Stooges appear. Secondary characters appear here and there, as well as the tertiary characters, who appear maybe twice to three times throughout the entire film; but your focus is forever placed in the Stooges when they appear. Possibly my bias comes from having grown up on them, as well as the cartoons based on these three.

The casting for these characters was a tough process, Benicio del Toro and Hank Azaria were originally destined to play the role of Moe... Hank, I could see as a possibility, but Benicio? That's a bit of a stretch! Chris Diamantopoulos was eventually cast, and having seen some of his previously work (for example his amazing portrayal of Robin Williams in Mork and Mindy - The Unauthorized Story). His ability to mimic voices is uncanny. And the hair and make-up have virtually transformed this Hellenic-Canadian actor into what would be the spitting image of a 40-something version of Moe Howard. I was gob-smacked, the gob could very well have been smacked by Moe himself. I have to say, Diamantopoulos does an undenyingly brilliant job, from his vocal portrayal, to his scowl when facing his fellow stooges, to his commanding ability to out-poke and out-wit and out-hit Larry and Curly. Chris, if you are reading this, I salute you.

Sean Hayes, where do I start, he seems to work well as Larry Fine, though I have to admit, like the comedy shorts of the mid-20th century, he does seem to come a close second to Curly. He only took the brunt of Moe's wrath when he said something out of line or he interfered with something; this is no different in the film, which is not a bad thing. He actually pulls off the role play of Larry inasmuch as Moe is able to rip out giant tufts of Larry's hair. The "looking into the sun" look that Larry does is ever present in the film, and although this did come across as an issue I could raise, I kinda swept it under the rug. That said, I couldn't see a better pick for Larry than this. Now, bearing in mind that there was a possibility that Sean Penn was due to play the part, I'm actually glad that Hayes got the role. Hayes has a unique ability to generate laughter, he is a genuinely funny guy, and has made a lot of his success from his portrayal of Jack McFarland in one of my favorite TV sitcoms Will and Grace. I guess he's managed to bottle this and release it in sizable amounts within this film and many others he has starred since Will and Grace. The hair and make-up for Larry was well done, and I can still picture him now. The resemblance was uncanny.

Will Sasso, who starred in MAD TV for a number of years plays Curly. Now he stands a little taller than the other two, which kinda conflicts with the original heights of the three, as the original Stooges were all roughly the same height.  Despite this little oversight (and it is indeed little), Curly is well played, Sasso has no doubt studied the character long and hard and has perfected it to an art-form. The voice, actions, the dancing, and even the "Woo woo woo, nyuk nyuk nyuk!" is better than I can do... Sasso also has the right bulk and has the perfect ability to play the innocent numbskull demeanor (No offense, Will, I think you're incredible!) to play Curly and it shows. I find it amazing to read that Jim Carrey was once attempting to land this role, but gave up the role due to health reasons, as it seems he attempted to gain between 60-70 pounds to get into the role of Curly; but gave up after a 40 pound gain. Now, I know that 40 pounds is a lot of weight, and I can totally understand... but I personally feel that Sasso gave Curly Joe the justice he deserved, and paid homage to him perfectly, and without the weight gain. Will kinda reminds me of a humorous version of Michael Chiklis!

Other characters such as the nuns played by Jane Lynch, Kate Upton, Jennifer Hudson and Larry David no less, all seem to be upstaged and don't get their chance to shine; which is a shame, but our focus is forever drawn to our loveable loonies of Larry, Curly and Moe. Jane Lynch plays a moderately benevolent Mother Superior, whereas Hudson who plays Sister Rosemary shows up with a smattering of appearances throughout the film, and even has the opportunity to sing in the film, well... sort of... She's kinda interrupted in one scene, and another scene she's somewhat upstaged when singing with the Stooges. To me, she seems like she's there simply for her voice than anything else. Similarly, there's Kate Upton, playing the role of Sister Bernice, a very vivacious looking nun, who can be spotted in something that can only be referred to as a "nun-kini"... As much as I love Kate, and I do, she seems to have been exploited simply for the fact that she has an amazing body, and far be it for me to say this, but it's worked well, but I still wonder if it was for all the right reasons. She added comedic elements here and there, but only to the extent of her presence.

Larry David, however, playing Sister Mary Mengele is the real scene stealer. He... er, she (Mary Mengele) is sharp, crude and a laugh a minute, a perfect role for David, and it's as funny as Tracy's mom on Hairspray, but without the actual drag... A lot of controversy has been placed on the fact that "Mengele" is also the surname of Josef Mengele, one of the SS officers who decided the fates of Auschwitz prisoners. There was also controversy of this film being highly anti-Catholic... Seriously? Give me a break... this movie is a spoof, and should be treated as such. The elements of slapstick aren't capable of being done in real life without causing some genuine farm. Slapstick itself is a form of spoofing... And I'm willing to bet that if I searched for Mengele in the White Pages, I'd find maybe a half dozen people with that surname, who don't take offense of having the surname. I count at least fifty entries in the American White Pages web site. A name is simply that, a name. If people are going to poke critique on every little thing that offends them in a comedy, then they have the right to not watch the film; but to chastise others for watching it, or bemoaning the fact that it offends others... As a wise comedian once said, there's no such thing as "an inappropriate joke", it's inappropriate, that's why it's a joke. Comedy can't please everyone, it will always offend someone, and there's no way to correct either. The Catholic Church has gotten the poops as well because of the nun-kini that Upton wears towards the end of the film. This is a harmless poke at the versatility of the nun's habit (i.e. none at all), and so the nun-kini is also yet another joke. Let it be.

Complete the cast with Craig Bierko, Sofia Vergara and Stephen Collins, as a trio of con artists out to use the Stooges to get their hands on an inheritance and you have a very well endowed cast of actors who can pull off this comic juggernaught. Sofia is gorgeous as her usual self and emphasizes her ability to play the role of the gorgeous wife, as she does in Modern Family. I wish I had seen her with more lines in this film... Craig Bierko, of whom I last saw in The Thirteen Floor, and more recently in an episode of Elementary on CBS, plays the role of Sofia's lover, who seems to stumble along and suffer blow after blow with all the accidents he winds up in... Poor guy, I really do feel for his character... I would have loved to have seen more of him in the film too, a shame that it kinda wraps up a little toward the end, but it's fun to watch these two interact with one another and with the Stooges.

Overall, the film is wonderful, and plays homage to the eponymous Stooges with the way this film has been written out. The Farrelly Brothers excelled themselves in the direction and production and they definitely did their homework to ensure that Diamantopoulos, Hayes and Sasso embodied their roles. I will however, be stripping half a star for the slight gap with characters that seemed a bit out of place, the Stooges themselves are faultless and with the possibility of a sequel coming up, I am salivating at the prospect of grabbing my popcorn and sitting back in a cinema chair to watch. Four and a half stars.