Review of Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013) by Thegodfatherson — 24 Oct 2013

Bad Grandpa is certainly one of the funniest and most outrageous comedies of the year. Whether it's Irv going to a strip club and almost getting punched out by a male stripper, passing his grandson off as a girl so they can crash a kiddie beauty contest, or trying to transport and dispose of his late wife's body, Bad Grandpa offers plenty of situations where the hidden cameras capture the varied and hilarious responses of onlookers.

There are times when it seems several of these surprised viewers must be plants, and you do find yourself questioning the legitimacy of some of these "candid" moments. Still, it's funny as hell.

The range of reactions (when you're not wondering who's a plant and what bit was probably scripted) range from the amused to the utterly horrified. It's amazing how much craziness people will put up with until they've finally had enough.

The movie's biggest surprise is how sweet it can be at times. You come to legitimately care about Irv and Billy and are invested in how their journey together turns out and if they can work out their relationship.

There's a set-piece in a biker bar near the end that's surprisingly touching (albeit in-between set-ups and pay-offs to different gags). Knoxville and Niccol have great chemistry together; the movie simply wouldn't work if they didn't.

Niccol is a real find. He seems like a real kid rather than a "movie kid." With his hangdog countenance and deadpan manner, Niccol comes across like a little Walter Matthau. The Jackass gang strike again with the giddily gonzo Bad Grandpa, featuring Johnny Knoxville's Irv Zisman at his most gloriously inappropriate.