Never in a Million Years: The Three Stooges

Okay, a brief departure from my usual classic fluff to make room for some contemporary fluff. I have made a commitment to myself to get out at least once a month to see a new movie (as a result of feeling a bit too anchored in the past with classic film). Although I wanted to get out to see "The Deep Blue Sea" today, it was not conveniently located or timed, so I ended up seeing "The Three Stooges."

What????????? If anyone had told me a week ago I would be seeing this movie, I would have said never in a million  years. I was never a big Stooges fan. I can take them in small doses, but that's about it. But then a few things conspired to make me want to see it:

1. Generally good reviews;
2. A track history of pretty much liking the Farrelly brothers' work;
3. Larry David playing a nun called Sister Mary- Mengele; and
4. Knowing that Moe becomes a character on the reality show "The Jersey Shore"

Okay. I admit it was #3 that sold me. And that concept did not disappoint. As a fan of  David's HBO series "Curb You Enthusiasm" I simply could not resist Larry as a crabby nun with such a fabulous name. He was hilarious.

The plot is rather silly, which befits the boys (I mean, really, could it be anything other than silly?). Sean Hayes (Larry), Will Sasso (Curly) and Chris Diamantopoulos (Moe) as the Stooges do a good job of recreating the originals and Jane Lynch, Jennifer Hudson, Sofia Vergara and Brian Doyle-Murray all add to the fun. It's a real sitcom reunion!

I must say that Moe's inclusion as a cast member on "The Jersey Shore" (as Dyna-Moe) was inspired and made me laugh out loud. I mean, who better than Snooki, J-Woww and The Situation to get their eyes poked, their heads banged and takes that place of some missing stooges.

And, like all Farrelly Brothers films, there is a sweetness, as the boys do prevail in the end. It is sort of like a live-action Roadrunner cartoon where all kinds of bodily injuries are inflicted and no one gets hurt.

Best of all: no Shemp!!!!

And just to top off a Moe, Larry and Curly kind of day, I got home from the show, sat down to read the paper and saw an article about this:

It's not just a museum, it's a Stooge-eum! 

Even though this will not go on my list of 10 best, it won't make the list of 10 worst, either. There was lots of laughter in the theater and, never in a million years did I think that I'd be one of those who laughed. But I did!

Nyuck, nyuck, nyuck!