DVD Review: “Strangers With Candy”
GRADE: B+
When I heard this cult classic t.v. show was making it to the big screen I was ecstatic! When it was released I had to search the whole bay area to find a theater showing it. Luckily I found a small cult movie house showing it, and man was the search worth it!
Jerri Blank is a great raunchy character. The additions of Stephen Colbert, Matthew Broderick, Sara Jessica Parker, Phillip Seymore Hoffman and Alison Janey made it even funnier. This movie throws joke after joke at you with lightening speed, it can be hard to catch each one with just one viewing . Which is why I am glad it is now on DVD.
This movie is the ultimate “after school special” spoof, like the classic farce “Airplane” it delivers on the site gags and witty one liners. The dialogue is so sharp you’ll probably miss the barbs that are delivered with natural ease by the actors. There is a wealth of funny material to steal and use as your own, if you’re looking to shock unsuspecting friends.
Jerri Blank has always been an over the top extreme character and this movie gives her license to shock even more with gross out visuals and potty humor. When “Stranger With Candy” was on Comedy Central it pushed the taste envelope as far as it could. This movie goes further and has fun with the concept.
This movie starts with giving us Jerri’s history as we witness her first day at school in many hilarious flashbacks. In pure after school special style we get to see Jerri learn the politics of modern day high school. I’d love to list all the funny scenes and inside jokes, but there are just too many! Here is one that got a great reaction from the crowd when it was in theaters:
Friend: “Hey Jerri, thinking about your Dad?”
Jerri: “Nah, pussy”
Yes, it is that nasty and dark……and I loved it! All in all, the adult jokes and campy acting make this a fun ride worth multiple viewings and contains many quotes worth repeating.
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