Review of Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013) by Kenneth C — 05 Feb 2014

Bad Grandpa is a sometimes hilarious comedy from the 'Jackass' people about cantankerous old widower Irving Zisman (Johnny Knoxville) who, when his drug addict daughter (Georgina Cates) violates her parole, is charged with taking his 8 year old grandson Billy (Jackson Nicoll) to North Carolina to be reunited with his deadbeat dad (Greg Harris).

.. and find somewhere to bury his dead wife's body which he carries along with them in the trunk. The movie is told in faux documentary style and is really an excuse to set up elaborate pranks on unsuspecting people.

And on that level the film can be laugh out loud funny as the pranks work more often then not. But, it is when the film tries to be a real story about the bonding between Irving and Billy that it falters.

We know from the start that it is all a put-on so the sentimentality feels equally fake and doesn't have any weight. But, there are some really hysterical bits and if you like the Jackass style of humor this should entertain just fine, though not as daringly funny as their previous group efforts.