I love Jackass. I just want to put that out there. I think that not just the movies but also the TV show are brilliantly anarchic. I am someone who is predisposed to like this cinematic spinoff, Bad Grandpa. What I'm getting at is that if you're not a big fan of all things Jackass, then you should probably stay away from this movie.
Bad Grandpa is the first Jackass movie with a plot. It's not much of a plot, but it does have one. Basically, Irving Zisman (Johnny Knoxville is his old man makeup from the TV show) is tasked with taking his 8 year-old grandson, Billy, to stay with his father while Billy's mom is in prison. This requires a road trip and the pair get into trouble along the way in the form of Jackass pranks.
Despite my affinity for Jackass, this movie didn't really win me over. The big problem is the presence of a plot. The previous films established that audiences did not require a story to link the shenanigans together. When the scenes come up in Bad Grandpa that are supposed to progress the story, all they do is bring the movie to a complete stop. One of the great things about the films is the relentless, manic energy. In Bad Granpda, that energy is broken up after every stunt/prank set piece. Not every Jackass stunt/prank is funny, but the movies have a momentum that carries you through them. You're laughing and/or disgusted the entire time. Bad Grandpa lacks that momentum and the lesser pranks become a chore to sit through.
Johnny Knoxville is great. He's been doing this character for a long time and he's mastered it. Jackson Nicoll plays Billy and he's fantastic. Jackass has always been good at finding smart ass kids with a quick wit.
There's some super funny parts. There's some parts that don't really work. But on the whole, I would tell any Jackass fans to watch it. Bonus reason to watch Bad Grandpa: It's nominated for an Academy Award for Best Makeup! It has the same amount of nominations as Prisoners and Before Midnight.
5 out of 10
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