The Three Stooges (2012)

The Three Stooges (2012) is a surprisingly affectionate time capsule that doesn’t “update” Larry, Curly, and Moe so much as unleash them—pure, undiluted slapstick—into a modern world that’s almost as ridiculous as they are. Sean Hayes, Will Sasso, and Chris Diamantopoulos don’t merely imitate; they inhabit the rhythms, faces, and glorious stupidity of the originals with such conviction that the movie starts to feel like a long-lost short expanded to feature length. The Farrelly brothers keep the tone buoyant and good-hearted, balancing eye-pokes and pratfalls with a sincere sweetness about these dim-bulb do-gooders trying to save the only home they’ve ever known. If you don’t have any patience for broad physical comedy or a little PG-level rude humor, it may not convert you—but if you want a cheerful, faithful blast of “nyuk-nyuk” anarchy, this one delivers.

The Three Stooges (2012) is clearly trying to be a loving, kid-friendly throwback to old-school slapstick, and it does nail the look, rhythm, and physicality of the classic trio more often than you’d expect. The problem is that stretching that one-note chaos to feature length comes with a thin, muddled plot, uneven pacing, and a bunch of pop-culture detours that feel like they’re begging for laughs rather than earning them. If you didn’t grow up enjoying eye-pokes, bonks, and nonstop cartoon violence, this will likely feel exhausting instead of funny. Still, if you want a clean PG comedy that commits hard to dumb physical gags and you’re in the right nostalgic mood, it’s a harmless enough time-waster.