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Sean Hayes, Will Sasso, Chris Diamantopoulos, Jane Lynch, Sofía Vergara ... see more see more... , Jennifer Hudson , Craig Bierko , Stephen Collins , Larry David , Kirby Heyborne , Carly Craig , Kate Upton , Marianne Leone , Brian Doyle-Murray , Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino , Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi , Jenni "J-Woww" Farley , Ronnie Magro , Sammi "Sweetheart" Giancola , Avalon Robbins , Max Charles , Jake Peck , Patty Ross , Lee Armstrong , Emy Coligado , Ray Collins , Isaiah Mustafa , Mark Kogan (II) , Michael D'Allessio , Donna D'Allessio , Bob Kocsis , Apple Kocsis , Jackie Flynn , Sandra Dorsey , Vince Canlas , Ric Reitz , Caryl West , Sayed Badreya , Johnny Seal , Debbie Walker , Michael L. Kuhn , Pamela Smith (XXI) , Lucy Thomas , Charlie Thomas , Skyler Gisondo , Lance Chantiles-Wertz , Robert Capron , Danny Smith , Kyla Kenedy , Erin Allin O'Reilly , Caitlin Colford , Caroline Kimberly Scott , Mariann Neary , Jesse Farrelly , Patricia French , Roy Jenkins , Barry Guy , Matthew L. Collins , William F. Scannell , Jonathan S. Kennedy , Lin Shaye , Steve Tyler , Myron Parker Jr. , Robert Benjamin (IV) , Dwight Howard , Dallas Hobbs , Carter Hayden , Cooper Callihan , Kieran Vine , Antonio Sabato Jr. , Justin Lopez

Left on a nun's doorstep, Larry, Curly and Moe grow up finger-poking, nyuk-nyuking and woo-woo-wooing their way to uncharted levels of knuckleheaded misadventure. Out to save their childhood home, onl... read more read more...y The Three Stooges could become embroiled in an oddball murder plot...while also stumbling into starring in a phenomenally successful TV reality show. -- (C) 20th Century Fox

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105 critics

PG, 1 hr. 32 min.

Directed by: Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly

Release Date: April 13, 2012

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Flixster Reviews (2,429)

  • katykern8261
    May 20, 2012
    katykern8261
    Directed (and co-written) by The Farrelly Brothers, C3 Entertainment, 2012

    Starring: Sean Hayes, Chris Diamantopoulos, Will Sasso, Jane Lynch, Sofia Vergara, Stephen Collins, Jennifer Hudson, and Larry David.

    Genre: Comedy

    Question: Do you think it's glamorous being a m... read moreovie reviewer? Seeing movies everyday, talking about movies, learning more about filmmakers, writing about certain actors, story-lines, discovering new talent etc...Well, it's the best job in the WORLD! I cannot lie. But I was asked to see movie to review it and it was one I hadn't planned on seeing.....The Three Stooges. Yep, you read that right. I saw The Three Stooges.

    This does happen once and in a while but not often enough to complain about - seeing a film that I wasn't interested in watching. In fact, I usually end up glad I was asked because I am forced out of my comfort zone and sometimes discover a decent film. However, I really didn't want to see this particular movie. I wasn't interested in it at all but I was on a radio show recently, interviewed by the boys of Rampant Radio's Answer Pants show and I agreed. I am too nice and just could not say no, (Unless it's a slasher film - can't handle those. Sorry people...so don't ask.) but I think reviewers and critics who have a specific distaste for a genre or such should avoid reviewing those movies. My thought, everyone has different tastes and likes. Mine may be broad, but I don't like everything, but my goal is to entice people to see a movie NOT go out of my way to pan a film. That is just not my style.

    With all that said, I will admit I went into the theatre not a happy camper but with an open mind. Of course I had seen the original The Three Stooges' skits and I just didn't find the slapstick humor all that funny or entertaining. However, when the original short films were made times were different, tastes were simpler and people weren't bombarded with 1000 TV channels, 15 movies opening on each weekend and the only place to see a film was in the local movie house. However, I do like the Farrelly Brothers and thought if any filmmakers were going to revive the old Vaudeville act they were the best choice. I also thought they were going to increase the farcical jokes with today's more R-rated humor that they are so known for. (Yes, I didn't know it was rated PG until I got to the theatre - sorry, didn't do my normal research on this one.)

    So what did I think of the film? Well, it was a pure homage to the original act. The movie was separated into three acts or episodes. The story was...well, umm...simple, silly and filled with a lot eye-poking, nose-pulling, and hammer-hitting. And, if I have to be honest, I was slightly bored because as I mentioned this type of humor just wasn't my cup of tea. However, if you like the slapstick humor of the original act then you may enjoy this film. Plus, I already told my kids this, I think children will enjoy this film so, yes, I have it on my Netflix queue for my kiddos. It was rated PG and it was made for the young at heart.

    The three actors who portrayed Larry, Moe and Curly embodied their characters well. It was actually a little spooky how well, but I think the Farrelly brothers did a great job at casting the threesome. I was also a little surprised to see who else was in this film (see list of actors) but then again I didn't see any previews or do any research on this. However, once I did see the movie and did some fact checking, I found out the origins of the original The Three Stooges and found that story to be really interesting. Now that is a film I think I would be interested in viewing...anyone thinking of doing a biopic?

    My favorite thing: The warning to the children during the credits. That got a giggle out of me.

    My least favorite thing: Oh, you know I can't bash a film and you know I didn't really care for this one so let's just leave it at that for this 'least favorite thing', okay?

    Rating: PG
    Length: 92 minutes

    Review: 4 out of 10
  • phubbs1
    May 9, 2012
    phubbs1
    So I'm British and I don't really have any or much knowledge on this all American legendary comedic trio but I know of them and how it works. From that small bit of recognition I can see the effort put into this film from the three main cast members and must give kudos to their p... read moreerformances.

    Yes the film is completely stupid, childish and babyish but of course that's what its all about, a classic mix of Chaplin, Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton with sound and no holding back with absurd ludicrous scenario's.

    I've never heard of the main cast but have read of many big names that were in line for the main roles such as Jim Carrey. Even I can see this would have been completely wrong so I'm glad the cast are as they are, unknowns (to me), they pull off the recreation very well I think, they look good and sound good.
    I think the stunts on show here are decent but nothing especially amazing, its all about the well rehearsed chemistry between the Stooges really, that's what shines through, the rest is your average Farrelly brothers schtick.

    Does exactly what it says on the tin folks, you know what to expect and you get exactly that. If you don't enjoy this kind of farcical comedy or find yourself hating it as you watch then you clearly didn't check the label on the tin. Not totally my thing I admit but I can appreciate the skill involved.
  • hobster1
    May 9, 2012
    hobster1
    Explaining why this made me laugh is like describing why Adagio for Strings makes me cry. It's more of a mood that the Farrelly brothers set up and maintain. For one thing they keep the atmosphere surprisingly wholesome. (It's rated PG, not PG-13 but PG) And why shouldn't they? T... read morehis is the Three Stooges after all. The trio that rose to fame in the 1930s, while admittedly idiotic, was never vulgar or offensive. They remain sweet, good natured guys so we can still support them even when they're acting like idiots. Despite all the physical harm, their genuine love for each other and their fellow man, is evident. There's an innocence that imbues every scene with heart. Yes there's the requisite head bonks, eyeball gouges and hammers to the head complete with the cartoon noises that highlight each to amusing effect. But there's also considerable humanity. I can't justify why this made me chuckle, but I say without shame, I laughed a lot!
  • spielberg00
    April 24, 2012
    spielberg00
    At this point in time, the slapstick genre is nearly dead. We had TUCKER & DALE VS. EVIL last year, and that is The Three Stooges gone insanely violent, but that was the first feature film we've had in quite a while. THE THREE STOOGES resurrects the sub-genre quite well. Espec... read moreially when comparing with most modern comedies, rarely is this film scatological (though there is one notably gross scene glorifying baby urine), and rarely is it actually as dumb as people are making it seem.Think of the what could be the Farrellys' best-known work, DUMB & DUMBER. It's similar to that, because the characters are dumb, but the film and script are overall quite clever. For example, there is a scene when all the Stooges meet up with the cast of Jersey Shore (finally that show gets a good mocking), on which Moe is being featured. One of the Stooges points to Snooki's hat, which reads "Guinness", and remarks, "Just because you're wearin' a hat that says 'Genius' doesn't mean you are one!"

    You could look at this as a comedic gem injured a bit by its flaws, or an error-fest uplifted by the massive laughs it offers. Me, I prefer to view it as the former. Contrary to what you would expect, it's not a film only Stooges fans would like.

    READ THE ENTIRE STO-RY:
    http://themoviefreakblog.wordpress.com/review-the-three-stooges
  • flixsterman
    April 21, 2012
    flixsterman
    Terrific performances by Sean Hayes (Larry), Will Sasso (Curly) and Chris Diamantopoulos (Moe) are muted by the sophomoric, asinine inclusion of Jersey Shore and Kardashian gags that frankly don't work on anyone over the age of seventeen.
  • ghostdog86
    April 18, 2012
    ghostdog86
    The line "better than I thought" pretty much sums up the Farrelly brother's new film "The Three Stooges".

    In a somewhat skilled exercise in juvenile/sophomoric antics, "The Three Stooges", directed and co-written by Bobby and Peter Farrelly (There's Something About Mary) and... read more starring Chris Diamantopoulos (Up All Night), Sean Hayes (Will & Grace) and Will Sasso (MADtv)as Mo, Larry and Curly respectively; and co-starring Jane Lynch (Glee), Sofia Vergara (Modern Family), Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Jennifer Hudson, Kate Upton and the cast of "Jersey Shore", has been supposedly a long time Farrelly brothers passion project. And they do a decent job of bringing these beloved yet simplistic characters to the big screen. If nothing else, audiences will be able to tell that the Farrelly's are huge fans and as such meticulously made every aspect of this adaptation true to the original 1930's and 1940's shorts. And at times (very few times) showing parallels to "Dumb and Dumber", the Farrelly brothers touch definitely elevated "The Three Stooges" from what would have been an unwatchable satire, to an (at times) very funny slapstick romp.

    For the first twenty minutes, "The Three Stooges" is working with some very old fashioned comedy, that is quite awkward to watch and may garner no laughs. It is only when the old fashioned slapstick trio clashes with their modern surrounding that this film finds its legs (as shaky as they may be). But still, for many novice audiences, things here may become tiresome to watch, in the way that watching three grown men act infantile for 90 minutes is. But for the crowd "The Three Stooges" is intended for, this film, which relies heavily on pratfalls, will have enough laughs to entertain for the entirety of the movie going experience.
    As far as the satirical treatment the Farrelly's have given their film, as I stated before, everything is spot on. From the absurdly cruel cartoon violence inflicted by Moe, to the bone crunching sound effects produced by Curly and Larry, to the old fashioned episodic introductions, to the hokey Stooges situations which involve a Governors Ball and a banquet hall, etc. Furthermore, every actor in this film pretty much holds their own; including Kate Upton and Sophia Vergara (as much as this will pain some women to hear). In saying that, Larry David is horribly miscast as Sister Mary-Mengele. Which proves, once and for all, that Larry David, whom I am a huge fan of, is incapable of playing anybody else but Larry David.

    With my mixed back assessment out of the way, I will say that for a film which I was almost dreading to see, I was somewhat pleasantly surprised. In fact, the three most surprising aspects of "The Three Stooges" where:

    1. It was Farrelly funny. Meaning, more than half of the jokes were up to par with the brilliant comic writing the Farrelly's have been known for in the past.

    2. Sophia Vergara steals the show! Vergara, who plays the one dimensional Latin character on "Modern Family" (and in real life) and has been God-awful in films such as "New Year's Eve" and "The Smurfs", absolutely shines here with grade A comic timing.

    3. The actors who played Moe, Larry, and Curly where extremely well cast. In fact, from time to time, when a joke wouldn't hit or a saw to the forehead would come off as hokey, the near perfect impressions will keep lovers of The Stooges, in some state of nostalgia throughout.
    Side Note: There were rumors that the likes of Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro and Jim Carrey were set to star in this film, presumably in the place of Hayes, Diamantopoulos and Sasso, but opted out. Why? Well, IMDB will give you a few reasons, which sound made up at best, because after seeing the finished product, in this reviewers opinion, the writing wasn't really worthy of A list stars. Cut and dry.

    Final Thought: Movies like "The Three Stooges" showcase what the Farrelly brothers do best. That is, take material or characters that are not necessarily worth a feature length film and provide enough pathos as to allow even the most hardened move-goer to find some entertainment value in the simple story arc. And even though many of the jokes here may seem dated, forgettable or just down-right not funny, for the millions of fans who are sure to buy tickets, "The Three Stooges" does deliver on a very April film release kind of way.

    Written by Markus Robinson, Edited by Nicole I. Ashland

    Please visit my page on Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/x-52464-San-Jose-Indie-Movie-Examiner and leave any comments you have about this or any review. The more hits I get the better. Thank you.

    Follow me on Twitter @moviesmarkus
  • fb733768972
    April 17, 2012
    fb733768972
    The portrayals of the three stooges is what makes this film particularly work. It is like they studied the original television show to pay a homage, and by god did they do an amazing job; However, the silliness of the modern references and real-life situations kind of take away f... read morerom the fact that these characters are only meant for comedy skits. I had a great time at the movies while watching "The Three Stooges," but looking back on it, it was a pretty simple film to write, taking the characters and placing them in with new-age technology. It may not be the wondrous cinematic experience that died hard stooges fans may have been hoping for, but it definitely does not come short on laughs. "The Three Stooges" is quite a bit of fun!
  • bathshebamonk
    April 17, 2012
    bathshebamonk
    Growing up as a girl with three brothers, I never thought I would like the Stooges. But there I was, a grown woman, laughing my ass off at their stupid antics, which by the way were beautifully choreographed. I kept wondering how long they had to practice those insane moves and... read more bird sounds to make them flawless. I think the movie brought out the humanity of the trio that I didn't remember in the orginals, but as I say, I was fighting the tyranny of a brother-dominated house. I like the update of the reality show plot device, very clever. And forgive me for loving the sinking car scene--the rat down the cleavage of the evil wife/mistress/whatever hahahahha and how they blew up the car to get out, omg, it was sheer 13 year old boy humor and I guess more of that rubbed off on me that I would have hoped.
  • CreedsDelight
    April 14, 2012
    CreedsDelight
    Curly: Don't forget to dot the i's.
    Moe: Certainly.

    Here's something I never imagined myself saying - The Three Stooges is an incredibly charming flick with a whole lot of heart. Don't get me wrong, I'm totally against slapstick humor - when it is used in the wrong fashion. I ... read morebelieve it works best here because that's what The Three Stooges are all about - silly, immature, hilarious humor. Does this movie have flaws? Of course it does! We've all seen the trailer - we all knew it wouldn't be perfect. What I didn't expect was the amount of fun I would have from watching the film. Furthermore, we are benefitted from our three leads, which are surprisingly faithful to the original cast. The Three Stooges is the type of film that shouldn't be judged unfairly prior to a viewing.

    Read the whole review at creedsdelight.com
  • fb1526363679
    May 6, 2012
    fb1526363679
    The Three Stooges reminded me of what I love more than anything in a comedy film, and that's physical humor. I laughed, I will admit this to all. But I did not love the film and I think there was some major issues keeping it from being a truly great comedy that we all know the ... read moreFarrelly Brothers are capable of making. They have had a string of mediocre films such as Hall Pass, The Heartbreak Kid, and Fever Pitch, which all were decent comedies such as this one, but I want to see them back in their golden days of films like There's Something About Mary, Dumb and Dumber, or even Me, Myself, and Irene. This movie did bring me a lot of good hearted laughs and fun, which many comedies nowadays lack. The show these three had is iconic to this day, people used to adore the Three Stooges and I was very fond of them myself, and I was surprised how well they kept the characters alive and the same as they have always been, because I honestly thought they were going to try and change them but they don't change, just a change in a time period. I always found their humor smart and fun, and they keep that up in this new film, but some characters angered me with how pointless and unfunny they were, sometimes the comedy was too gross for me, and it felt as though they wanted to make a Three Stooges movie and just be done with it. But don't let that take you away from it, this is a decent comedy that some may find to be just pure hilarious, I just felt it was ok.

    The story follows Moe (Chris Diamtopoulos), Larry (Sean Hayes), and Curly who all were abandoned as babies and left at an orphanage. As they grew up they caused destruction and mayhem wherever they went, and it caused anger in the nuns taking care of them. But when the orphanage is too being closed done, Moe, Larry, and Curly go on a journey to the big city to raise money to save their childhood home. But the problem is, they have never been to the big city and will bring their destructive ways with them.

    The plot is about as smart as a movie on the Three Stooges can get, and although I enjoyed most of the jokes and physical humor that has made the Three Stooges, I wasn't a fan of the whole "killing Sofia Vergara's husband" side plot. But watching them try and raise money was enjoyable and full of laughs and was able to help me ignore the dullness in the subplot. Mainly I came to see the Stooges and they succeeded in bringing me some laughs, but it also gave me some moments where I wanted to throw up especially one scene in the movie where the three have a fight with the urine of babies. The Three Stooges are mainly famous for all the violence, and I can tell you know that this movie is basically just physical humor start to finish and it was as effective as the TV show, so that was probably my favorite thing about the film was that they did not lose touch with what makes The Three Stooges truly funny. Although I had my problem here and there, I left the theater feeling I got my laugh's worth, even if the plot didn't have to try and be something so big which nothing that the Stooges were ever about was.

    The cast was pretty weak and I did not enjoy most of the ensemble, however the three men who played the Three Stooges surprised me with how well they did portraying the iconic characters. Chris Diamtopoulos played Moe very well and if you think about it, itâ(TM)s a lot of pressure trying to play an icon like Moe Howard (and to be honest he kind of looked a lot like him too). Will Sasso steals most of the laughs in the film playing Curly, and itâ(TM)s well-deserved as he has the same funny humor as well as his dimwitted lovable side that we all love, and Sasso really impressed me. Sean Hayes really pulled off the hair, and even though he doesn't have any really defining moments in the film like Sasso is given, I still enjoyed seeing him in this trio of misfits. Sofia Vergara had absolutely no point in being in this film, she is a funny actress in one of my favorite TV shows Modern Family, but after being in this and The Smurfs I have realized she is nothing more than a movie sex magnet. As for the rest of the supporting cast such as Jane Lynch, Jennifer Hudson, and Kerby Heyborne were boring and were cast in the shadow of the stooges, however I loved (and laughed) the cameo of the Jersey Shore cast that may have been the films shining moment. As for Larry David in a nun's outfit... it all depends on if you find a man in a woman's clothes funny.

    The Three Stooges was just a decent film in my opinion, it made me laugh and all but there were so many problems with some of the cast, characters, and some jokes that I cannot say I loved it. The joke of the whole movie is that this they are bringing this trio into the 21st century which is much different than then when they worked in the 1950's. I love slapstick humor as much as the next guy, but there is a special way to do and the Farrelly brother did not master it as Ted Healy did, who was the creator of The Three Stooges. But even if the film was not perfect, itâ(TM)s definitely worth your time especially if you enjoy The Three Stooges (as most people do already). I had a group of teenagers in my theater that would not shut up and every time something funny happened they would scream and laugh so you can imagine how hard it was to see the film, but I got through it and can say that my money was well spent. So if you need a great comedy then I would tell you to go search somewhere else, but if you want to jog your memory with the classic trio of stooges that we all know and love or you just want a fun time at the movies, then come check this out.

View All The Three Stooges Reviews

Critic Reviews

David Denby
April 23, 2012
David Denby, New Yorker

The movie is so infantile that it achieves a special kind of purity and gentleness. Full Review

Nick Pinkerton
April 16, 2012
Nick Pinkerton, Village Voice

The leads acquit themselves in the physical comedy, resurrecting shtick honed on a thousand-and-one vaudeville stages, and recreated in as many playgrounds. Full Review

Eric D. Snider
April 13, 2012
Eric D. Snider, Film.com

Any reasonable objections to the Farrellys' Three Stooges will not be on the grounds that it desecrates a revered comedy franchise, but on the grounds that it's not very funny. Full Review

Stephen Whitty
April 13, 2012
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

If this is a tribute, it's a crass and clumsy one. Full Review

Peter Travers
April 13, 2012
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

For the Farrellys, The Three Stooges is a labor of love. For non-believers, it's merely a labor. Full Review

Sean O'Connell
April 13, 2012
Sean O'Connell, Washington Post

Even by Stooges standards, it's overly juvenile and totally dumb. Full Review

Lou Lumenick
April 13, 2012
Lou Lumenick, New York Post

You would think that after a quarter-century in development at four different studios, somebody would have figured out how to make a funny movie about the Three Stooges. Full Review

Stephen Cole
April 13, 2012
Stephen Cole, Globe and Mail

The Three Stooges weighs in at about 15 howlers over 90 minutes. Not bad, about the same ratio of hilarity to hokey as the Stooges' old shorts. Full Review

Peter Howell
April 13, 2012
Peter Howell, Toronto Star

The Three Stooges is moronic, stupid, idiotic entertainment for knuckleheads. Full Review

Owen Gleiberman
April 12, 2012
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

It's an enchantingly well-done tribute that revives, and even refreshes, our affection for the Stooges, yet at its core it lacks the completely and totally unhinged shock of the new. Full Review

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    • Moe Howard: He's turtle-ing! [as Moe throws the dynamite back inside the body cast]
    • Curly Howard: [changing baby's diaper] You must be French. You've got a lot of oui-oui.
    • Ling: Clown school is on the 10th floor.
    • Moe Howard: Hey, Skin tag!
    • Moe Howard: Hey, jumbotron!
    • Larry Fine: [Larry mistakenly reads a 'Do Not Remove' Sign] Hey look, a donut remova'!
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  • What are Howard, Howard & Fine better known as?  Answer »
  • Which of the Three Stooges listed below was NOT related to the others?  Answer »
  • The Three Stooges were a comedy group that originally started out in Vaudeville  Answer »
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