Title – Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013)

Director – Jeff Tremaine (Jackass: The Movie)

Cast – Johnny Knoxville, Jackson Nicholl, Catherine Keener, Greg Harris

Plot – Bad grandpa Irving (Knoxville) must trek cross country to deliver his estranged grandson Billy (Nicholl) to his deadbeat father Chuck (Harris) after his mother is incarcerated. Irving and Billy’s journey (filmed largely in the real world in real life situations) leads them on many an adventure and misdemeanour and creates a bond between the two previously non-existent.

“I’ll just call you cinnamon”

Review by Eddie on 22/11/2013

Despite all its low brow humour and childish gags Bad Grandpa is by far one of the funniest and seriously ingenious comedies of the year and when watched with the right mindset will be a thoroughly enjoyable 90 minutes at the movies.

Played by a worryingly good Johnny Knoxville Irving Zisman is the titular bad grandpa, a man set upon every women he sees and a man that finds himself in many a hilarious situation. Whether Irving is at a bingo centre, diner or postal office Johnny Knoxville inhabits him wholly and completely that one forgets we are watching a pretend old man. It must be said also that some of the film’s most quiet and funny moments come from Knoxville merely waltzing about town in full old man get up, waving and traipsing about his business as passer byes are none the wiser. Knoxville’s strong inhabitation of Irving however would have been wasted if his grandson weren’t such a mischievous delight as well.

As played by child actor Jackson Nicholl Irving’s grandson Billy is the perfect foil for the antics the film sets up and Nicholl displays a rare ability for a child to think on a whim and more than once he will have you laughing hysterically with his verbal comebacks or physical comedy (A highlight being the trailer centrepiece and films ace up the sleeve beauty pageant routine). It’s good to see Jackass stalwart and co-creator Jeff Tremaine handle both the situations and actors so well and one senses that this creation will set forward more projects under the similar vein of real life candid cameras mixed with a anchoring plot line.

Obviously not for everyone and more likely to offended than not Bad Grandpa is still a must see for all comedy fans and even if Jackass is not your usual cup of lime juice Bad Grandpa offers up a welcome deviation from the usual Jackass presentations and a showpiece for just how funny Knoxville is when given the right material.

4 knocked over penguins out of 5

Related articles

• Review: ‘Bad Grandpa’ Shows ‘Jackass’ Still Spry (abcnews.go.com)
• Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (mistermarquee.com)
• ‘Bad Grandpa’s Jeff Tremaine On Directing Motley Crue Movie, Growing Up ‘Jackass’ And Axing A Spike Jonze Drag Performance (m.deadline.com)