Review of The Three Stooges (2012) by Philip S — 11 Oct 2012

The Farrelly Brothers' take on everyone's favorite comic trio is surprisingly entertaining. On the surface, it would seem that it's little more than the same style movie as Hollywood's big screen reboot of Dennis The Menace or The Little Rascals. But the reality is that those re-imaginings pale in comparison. Sure the Farrelly Brothers have done much the same thing as what those flicks did. But at the same time, it's obvious that they really did attempt to pay homage to the original Stooges.

At first glance, the very thought of modernizing the Stooges makes no sense. After the utter failures that were Dennis the Menace (and its equally awful sequels) and The Little Rascals, the natural reaction here is to shake one's head that much the same has been done here. And while the pop culture references abound (E.g. Jersey Shore, Geico Auto Insurance, etc.), somehow, the Farrelly Brothers managed to balance out the modernization without losing the heart that make the original Stooges so beloved to this day. Yes, it would have been nice to see the Stooges in their original 1930s and 1940s element. But at least in this case, the trio's modernization doesn't overpower the physical comedy for which Larry, Curly, and Moe became famous.

Sean Hayes (Larry), Chris Diamantopolous (Moe), and Will Sasso (Curly) weren't the only stars of this big screen remake. The trio's interactions with co-stars Sofia Vergara (Modern Family), Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm), and Brian Doyle-Murray (Groundhog Day, SpongeBob Squarepants, etc.) harkens back to the original Stooges' bits with its constant supporting cast. It's obvious through these interactions and the physical comedy together that despite being modernized, the Farrelly Brothers really were making a valid attempt to do more than just toss something up on screen for the sake of throwing it up on screen. Unlike the people behind the reimaginings of The Little Rascals and Dennis the Menace, the intent behind this update was obviously to entertain and pay the deserved honor to the original Stooges and their fans, too.

The Farrellys succeeded in entertaining audiences nonstop with the combination of classic slapstick comedy. It took center stage, rather than the updated surroundings. The pair should also be commended for taking time immediately after the movie to warn all potentially young audiences that the gags used in the movie were not real. They point out that the hammers, crowbars and other tools were all rubber. And the sounds used in coordination with said tools were just that. They were sound effects and nothing more. They took the time to say to audiences please don't try what they saw on screen themselves. It's all movie magic. This might have been a minute factor in the grand scheme of things. But taking such responsibility is deserving of great respect. So thank you to the Farrellys for that. And thank you to the Farrellys for this surprisingly entertaining update on a legendary comic act.