Review of Dirty Grandpa (2016) by Lane Z — 05 Dec 2016

I am almost ashamed to put this on my list. Not for my list, but for the actors involved in making the movie. Dan Mazer was involved in most of Sacha Baron Cohen's stuff nearly a decade ago when it was brought to film, and where that niche of comedy worked for people interested in that silly humor, none of it has translated to Dirty Grandpa.

I'm not sure if this was just an excuse for some of these actors to be on screen with Robert de Niro, but then you'd have to ask yourself why he even did this film in the first place. Other than a quick pay check, there seems to be zero benefit to being involved.

Instead of being a tailored, goofball romp through Spring Break or wherever they end up, it turns into a desperate, forced adventure contrived out of the worst ideas. De Niro sells a few lines and makes you yearn for his performance in Meet the Parents. Zac Efron puts on his dumbest face yet. Of course he takes his shirt off in what is now a standard in movies he signs on for. Aubrey Plaza seems to be having the most fun and is probably the only bright spot in an otherwise dour film.

2016 wasn't a good year for Efron. De Niro is just screwing around. This movie exists solely because it felt like none of these actors had much on their plate throughout the year.