Review of Dirty Grandpa (2016) by Geoff C — 31 Jan 2016

I rarely give 5 stars to anything, but I think all the critics and many of the audiences have missed the boat on this one. First of all, you so-called "critics", do you even watch the movies you review? Or do you just read others' reviews? Yes, this movie has crude humor, yes it is even a little silly at times.

But nearly all the reviews I've read get so hung up in political correctness and trying to show off their knowledge of movie-making, plotlines, directing,etc, that they didn't apparently pay attention to the actual movie.

This is not a simple, old guy wants to get laid plot excuse for lame humor. The De Niro character is more complicated than that. He's trying to make up for being an absent father and letting his son down, who then let's his own son down.

His character develops throughout the story. The Efron character also develops and wakes up. If any of you who said there was no story there listened, at the end De Niro says exactly why he made the trip.

There were some dirty jokes, yes, but no fart scenes as disgusting as Blazing Saddles and definitely not near the language I've heard in other so-called funny movies. This movie also showed aging in a different light and also cast a fresh perspective t on so-called political correctness.

Yes, De Niro made some cliche racial and gay remarks, but he was also the one who physically defended the gay character and also ended up bringing together the warring racial factions. There is a very good moment towards the end when De Niro reveals the meaning of his tattoo.

And a sweet, but unorthodox love story thrown in. Apart from any story line, the movie was just silly-funny. The full auditorium laughed all through it. Don't bring the kids or pre-judgements if you go.

This is clearly not an Oscar contender, but not De Niro's worse (Fockers anyone?). Personally I think there was more of a story and wider range of emotions expressed than Revenant (which no-doubt will win in many categories).