Dirty
Grandpa
(2016/Lionsgate Blu-ray w/DVD)
Picture:
B+/B- Sound: B+/B- Extras: B Film: C
Robert
De Niro and Zac Efron star in Dirty
Grandpa
(2016), directed by Dan Mazer (who helmed the highly successful Da
Ali G Show with Sacha Baron Cohen and produced some of his films)
which was panned by critics but I found to have some pretty great
laugh out loud moments.
The
film starts out strong with some great laughs and then hits a the
narrative pacing is compromised (namely a scene that takes place in a
jail that is way too long), but the film ends on a satisfactory note
overall. I don't think it deserved the critical lambasting that it
received upon its original release. Here we have a new unrated
version of the film (which has a few more raunchy jokes that the
censors thought went too far) and the theatrical cut.
In
supporting roles are Aubrey Plaza, Julianne Hough, Brandon Mychal
Smith, Jason Mantzoukas, and Zoey Deutch - all of which accompany our
leading men and all bring some humor to the film.
Efron
plays Jason Kelly, a young man whose passion for photography sizzled
out when he decided to take the safe route and work for his father's
law firm and become a lawyer. Engaged to the pretty but uptight
Meredith (Hough) and within a week of the wedding day, he is brought
back with family for his grandmother's funeral. Eager to get out of
his funk and live a little, Jason's raunchy grandfather (De Niro)
tricks him into a Florida road trip where he is encounters Shadia
(Deutch), to whom he went to photography school with and her two
party-loving friends Tyrone (Mychal Smith) and Lenore (Plaza) that
lead them to an outrageous spring break vacation that tests their
limits and forces them both to part-ay. Once he finds himself
smitten with Shadia, Jason must choose between the safe road of life
or the hard, but more fulfilling road.
The
film is full of gross out and off the wall humor that I'm sure many
critics felt were too immature, but I found to be quite hilarious.
If you love sex jokes, fart jokes, and Improv comedy then this is a
film that you will most likely enjoy. It also presents a different
kind of role for the legendary Robert De Niro. Here we see him more
unchained and foul mouthed then he ever has been before and he and
Efron (to whom I'm usually not a huge fan but didn't mind in this)
have a good onscreen chemistry that works. The plot is pretty basic
and at some moments predictable, such as a sequence involving a
wedding slideshow, but establishes its thematics well. There's also
an extra mid-credits scene that you may want to stick around for.
The
film is presented in 1080p high definition on Blu-ray disc with a
widescreen aspect ratio of 2.40:1 and a lossless DTS-HD MA (Master
Audio) 5.1 track that doesn't disappoint and is high in quality
throughout. Also included is the DVD in standard definition with an
anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio of 2.40:1 and a lossy Dolby
Digital 5.1 track that is fine for the format but doesn't shine like
the Blu-ray does.
There's
also a UV Ultraviolet digital copy for your tablet or smartphone.
Extras
include:
''The
Filthy Truth: The Making of Dirty Grandpa" Featurette
''Daytona
Heat" Featurette
''Filthy
Filmmakers Who Have No Shame" Audio Commentary
''The
Filthy Truth: The Making of Dirty Grandpa" Featurette
''Daytona
Heat" Featurette
''Filthy
Filmmakers Who Have No Shame" Audio Commentary
''Lessons
in Seduction" Featurette
''I
Got Nothin' to Hide: A Look at Daytona's Most Vibrant Drug Dealer"
Featurette
Gag
Reel
If
you like gross out comedies, films like Bad
Santa
or The
Brothers Grimsby,
then you'll more than likely find yourself chuckling through Bad
Grandpa.
It's not a classic by any means, but not the worst film either. If
you don't find this sort of humor funny then this may not be for you,
as it wasn't for the majority of critics.
-
James Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/
