When I think slapstick comedy, I don’t think of Sean Penn. Or Benicio Del Toro. Yet, they are on tap to play two-thirds of slapstick legends the three stooges in a new MGM film. Variety is reporting that Penn has signed up to play Larry and “the studio is zeroing in” Del Toro as Moe.
Who’s taking the role of funny portly guy Curly? Non-portly guy Jim Carrey. He is in negotiations and “is already making plans to gain 40 pounds to approximate the physical dimensions of Jerome ‘Curly’ Howard.”
According to the Variety report, “the film is not a biopic, but rather a comedy built around the antics of the three characters that Moe Howard, Larry Fine, and Howard played in the Columbia Pictures shorts.”
Even as one who can appreciate the three stooges (I was a huge fan in junior high), I’m not so excited about this. I think Penn can pull it off (Larry is the straight guy, after all) and Carry is pretty intriguing casting (he’s going to be fun), but I’m not so sure about Del Toro. If the announcement had been that these three actors were going to do a couple 8-minute YouTube shorts as the three stooges, I’d be excited to watch. But a full-length movie? I think the novelty is going to wear off fast.
But more than the actors, I am wary of the creative team putting it together: Peter and Bobby Farrelly (There’s Something About You, Stuck on You, Dumb and Dumber). I liked their bowling send-up, Kingpin, but having the three stooges in the hands of directors known for bawdy humor, worries me. But to be honest, I find that I really don’t care enough about this project to expend much emotion for it other than to say, “eh.”
Anyone offended that they are recasting the three stooges? Anyone worried? Is anyone excited about this?
