Throughout the early to mid-20th century, The Three Stooges were among the most marketable stars in Hollywood. Audiences would show up in droves to watch each new short as Moe, Larry, and Curly would poke, bonk, and beat eachother senseless for everyone's amusement. And nearly 100 years later, people still can't get enough of them. 20th Century Fox saw that Stooge-Mania was still alive and well in this country, so it decided to give the boys a modern twist in the upcoming movie revival, appropriately titled The Three Stooges.
Starring Chris Diamantopoulos, Sean Hayes, and Will Sasso as Moe, Larry, and Curly respectively, The Three Stooges looks like an uncompromising love letter to the original shorts, complete with slapstick humor, plenty of blows to the head, and classic Stooges sound effects. The modern versions of Moe, Larry, and Curly are nearly indistinguishable from the real thing. Everything from their appearance to their speech patterns and subtle mannerisms are captured perfectly. For longtime Stooge fans, this is really great to see.
The movie has come under some criticism recently for featuring the same old gags that the trio debuted decades ago. Then again, what else would you expect from a Three Stooges movie? It doesn't look groundbreaking and it certainly won't be up for any Oscars, but it looks to have the same good-natured humor that made the Stooges household names in the first place. This isn't something to be terribly jaded about; it is a Three Stooges movie, after all. If you're a fan of the originals, there should definitely be something here to enjoy.
The Three Stooges will hit theaters on April 13.
