The Three Stooges: Movie Review

If you are old enough to remember "The Three Stooges" then good for you but if you don't then you are missing half of your life. It is hard to believe that it has been 8 decades since the trio debuted as their unique slapstick humor still proves to be effective to bring out barrels of laughter from its audience of various ages. And given the nostalgia, here's where our hesitations and apprehensions take center stage with the 2012 film version of "The Three Stooges" - do we really need a modern take on a classic? Would the old humor be as effective in modern situations? Surprisingly, the answer turns out to be a hesitant yes on our part. The film proves to be a faithful and funny rendition on the Stooges and one even worthy for the most hardcore of fans.

Moe (Chris Diamantopoulos), Larry (Sean Hayes) and Curly (Will Sasso), as youngsters, are left at an orphanage run by nuns. The trio prove to be troublemakers and as such, find themselves not adopted until adulthood. At present time, the orphanage finds itself in trouble when they find out that they do not have the funds to run their institution. They have a month to raise $830,000 or else the inevitable foreclosure will be enforced. At the risk of losing their family, home and friends, the Stooges volunteer to raise money by finding jobs in the city. Can they do it or not and most importantly how?

We would be lying if we didn't admit that the "The Three Stooges" surprised us. We didn't expect the 2012 film version would do justice to the original but lo and behold it does. This is in no part thanks to the scary and uncanny portrayals and likeness that the three main actors did. There was no moment that we doubted that these are the Stooges on screen - even the old camera and stunt tricks are there - adding more to the illusion. We could honestly say that even hardcore fans would appreciate watching the 2012 Farrelly Brothers version and that is a major feat in itself. But even with the best acting, the film falls short with a mindless and forgetful story. Overall though, "The Three Stooges" is a worthy update to a classic and we honestly couldn't think of a better way they could have pulled it off.

Rating: 3 and a half reels





Why you should watch it:

- the film proves to be a worthy rendition to a classic

- the main actors are uncanny in terms of their portrayal of the Stooges

Why you shouldn't watch it:

- as expected, the story was shameful