Reviews

This will be short. Bad Grandma is a geriatric version of Borat. It is funny, but the humor is of the Jackass variety, sophomoric, juvenile, and done for shock value. Knoxville has none of the charm or wit of Sacha Baron Cohen, so the jokes are often at the expense of the victim. The pageant scene is lifted directly out of "Little Miss Sunshine". If you don't like Jackass movies, you probably won't like Bad Grandpa. But if you like Jackass movies you might find this one a little boring.

I won't detail the plot or intricacies that make this film a masterpiece. Read almost any of the other "10" reviews here to get a thorough, insightful analysis of this film. To help future viewers avoid watching a movie that is not at what they are expecting, this review is more about what this film is not.

Unfortunately, there is no "Irony" category for movies. Having this film broadly listed as a comedy apparently has disappointed a number of people expecting a laugh out loud, modern style comedy. This is not that kind of comedy. The humor is dark irony meant to amuse you in way that makes you nod your head and chuckle.

It captures the infinite contradictions that exist in a world that tries to find "peace" through war. Some of the humor is obvious and will make you laugh out loud, but most of it is subtle, a reference to cold war tropes or a nod to the madness of diplomacy sought through the threat of world destruction. It is a brilliant and humorous film, but it is not a "Jerry Lewis" film.

I remember the Alice Cooper episode very well. He sang "Sick Things". Quite an unexpected treat for young Cooper fans.