The Three Stooges returned to the Silver Screen with a new trio of actors portraying the iconic comedy trio. (Poster property of 20th Centruy Fox, C3 Entertainment and Conundrum Entertainment.)
By: Jacob Elyachar
From the early 1930s to the mid-1940s, the classic Three Stooges line-up of Moe Howard (Moses Horwitz), Larry Fine (Louis Feinberg) and Curly Howard (Jerome Horwitz) entertained millions with 97 zany shorts and four full-length feature films.
Peter and Bobby Farrellly tried to recapture the magic of the original trio in their Three Stooges movie. Chris Diamantopoulos, Will Sasso and Sean Hayes portray Moe, Curly and Larry respectfully. These three actors did a phenomenal job mastering the trio’s attitudes and mannerisms and paying homage to the legendary trio.
This plot focuses on the Stooges trying to prevent their only home: the Sisters of Mercy Orphanage being closed and trying to raise 830-thousand dollars to pay off the Orphanage’s debt. However, they come across an offer from the film’s main antagonist: Lydia (Modern Family’s Sofia Vergara), who wants the trio to kill off her rich husband, who unbeknownst to them is former orphanage pal: Teddy (Kirby Heyborne). Throughout the film, mayhem ensues as the Stooges find themselves escaping the police through a zoo and a country club that ends with the trio’s “break-up” when Curly and Larry leave Moe while their leader is discovered by a hip TV executive (Isaiah Mustafa) and he becomes the latest cast member of Jersey Shore. Would they be able to reunite and save their friend and their home from destruction?
There were several stand-outs in the film’s star-studded supporting cast including Vergara, Larry David as the nasty nun Sister Mary-Mengele, Jane Lynch as the sweet Mother Superior and Jennifer Hudson as Sister Rosemary. However, while the acting was good, there were several problems within the film. The first problem was the film’s continuity. In the beginning of the film, the viewers met the younger versions of the Stooges and the nuns that take care of them. While the Stooges aged, the nuns did not and it would have been cool to see most of them in old age make-up. Another problem was the writing. Yes, the film paid homage to the Stooges and had lots of physical comedy, but some parts of the film did not make sense (the zoo protesting).
Final Thoughts and Grade: If you enjoyed the Three Stooges and love slapstick, this film is for you. Movie watchers will have loads of laughs watching this film but if you are fans or don’t like slapstick, this average film is not for you. C
