Three infants in a sack are tossed from a moving car, not normally an idea people find funny. When they land on the steps of an orphanage and poke a nun in the eye, we’re getting somewhere. When that nun is Larry David as Sister Mary-Mengele and those three scamps grow up to become the infamous Stooges, Moe, Larry and Curly, now we’re talking.
Led by their leader-apparent Moe, in all his iconic bowl-cut glory, the three angelic babies grow into well-intentioned but less-than-angelic 10-year-olds at the same orphanage, terrorizing the nuns with their destruction. Moe, given the opportunity for adoption, stays behind to look after his comrades. A quarter of a century later, they’re still at the orphanage, serving now as inept handymen better at pretending to work than actually fixing anything.
When Monsignor Ratliffe comes bearing bad news — that the orphanage is being shuttered by the diocese — the brothers Stooge, “pure of heart and dim of wit,” set out to make the $830,000 needed to keep the place open. Hilarity ensues.
It goes against logic and any declaration of sanity to use The Three Stooges as a cultural barometer of any sort. Even more insane is the idea that Bobby and Peter Farrelly (Kingpin, There’s Something About Mary) could make their brand of comedic movie and get a PG rating. Yet that’s exactly what Stooges accomplishes.
This movie poses an interesting conceptual challenge to a modern cinematic audience and, by the same token, to its filmmakers. Can the family-friendly slapstick of the Stooges succeed commercially in a cultural landscape dominated by phallic and flatulent humor? Time will have to answer that one.
Unfortunately, Stooges is the type of movie for which you need to be in the mood. Stooges fans will love the gags, the pacing and a faithful revival of their familiar favorite. Open-minded comedy fans will enjoy the film’s innocent slapstick fun. Anyone raised solely on the raunch of the modern comedies will surely fail to grasp it and call it dumb.
I imagine it poses an interesting challenge to the actors to portray such revered and established characters; it doesn’t seem so much acting as doing a 92-minute impression. Will Sasso does an excellent job as the rotund, goofy Curly. Sean Hayes has an equally impressive turn as the ever-awkward Larry. As the brains of the bunch, Chris Diamantopoulos makes for an amazing Moe. Larry David in a nun’s habit is funny enough, but the nails-on-chalkboard rasp of Sister Mary-Mengele is hilarious. Even in a minor role, Jane Lynch is memorable as the Mother Superior.
The Three Stooges is enjoyable, and perhaps this is too serious a look at the silliest movie of the year. In the ultimate twist, the more intelligent, discerning movie fan will enjoy the inanity. Don’t believe me? Why I oughta…
This article appears in Apr 12-18, 2012.