Posted by Jennifer Asencio | Published
Happy Madison Productions is best known for producing Adam Sandler’s films because it is his company. However, he also produces films with collaborators such as Rob Schneider, Allen Covert, and Nick Swardson. One of the worst, most annoying things in these movies is the stone joke Grandma’s Boy.
Grandma’s Boy Is Absolute Chaos
The movie is about Alex (Allen Covert), an avid video gamer and play tester for game developer Brainasium. The company is conducting final tests Eternal Killer IIIcreated by boy programmer JD (Joel David Moore of You’re a chump as a boy who thinks he’s an android) and directed by Samantha (Scooby DooLina Cardellini), a hot new manager hired to ensure the game is released on time.
Alex is secretly improving his game, Demonicbut when he suddenly finds himself homeless, he must frantically search for a place to live. The location of his best friend Jeff (Nick Swardson) is in question, and his weed dealer, Dante (fellow Happy Madison alum Peter Dante), lives in a chaotic neighborhood that includes a tribal shaman and a monkey learning taekwondo.
Alex finds himself living at his grandmother’s house, where he is plagued by endless leftovers, extra chores, and three nasty old ladies: Grandma Lilly (played by Doris Roberts of Everyone loves Raymond), the sexy vixen Grace (played seductively by Shirley Jones, best known for her The Patridge family), and pill-guzzling Bea (Shirley Knight of As Good As It Gets). Sure, he has time to work on his game, but only when he can prevent Grandma from collecting it so he can play it. But when all three of Alex’s video games, weed, and Grandma collide, the madcap consequences will change Alex’s life.
A Stacked Cast Firing On All Cylinders
The supporting cast has joined the main cast, including Schneider, his Saturday Night Live co-stars David Spade and Kevin Nealon, and an early appearance from Jonah Hill. Offbeat characters, from Brainasium gamers to caustic vegan restaurant waiters to Dr. Shakalu, they imbue the film with wonderful silliness as Alex stumbles through his life and his budding romance with Samantha.
The humor isn’t limited to stone jokes, either. There are many references to video games, including a difficult match of Frog Bog to Intellivision, proving that the movie really knew its source. Lots of funny jokes, especially when the kid Jeff meets the seductress Grace. Alex’s boss, Mr. Cheezle (Kevin Nealon), is a person who likes a lot of money and meditating on the new age. The three old ladies are cruel as are the younger characters. Pot jokes, such as commenting on the names of weed species and using a bong as a vase, are there, but this isn’t a Cheech and Chong movie and it has other jokes to tell.
As good as the Unrated version
I own the unrated version of the Grandma’s Boybut I looked at the R rated streaming version to see what the difference is. The limited edition surprised me by keeping many of the movie’s sharpest jokes, tweaking and tucking in a few places where it pushed the envelope too far, like the end of Jonah Hill’s 13-hour race with Milk Maid. It’s amazing that the infamous reason Alex can’t stay with Jeff is still there in full, pure glory.
For a long journey through the world of video games and one of Doris Roberts’ masterpieces, check out Grandma’s Boy on Hulu. Despite the fact that it’s an edited version, it’s still the same funny movie.
