There were many pranks and stunts in the Jackass franchise (TV show and movies) with the front man disguised as an old man, "bad grandpa", an old man acting and talking foul with his grandson, featured in Jackass 2, and was turned into a film, in similar style to Borat, and I was looking forward to it. Basically, the wife of eighty-six-year-old Irving Zisman (Johnny Knoxville) has passed away. At the funeral, his daughter Kimmie (Georgina Cates) shows up with Irving's eight-year-old grandson Billy (Jackson Nicoll). She is going back to prison for breaking parole and she needs him to take the child to be with his father until she is released. Irving reluctantly agrees and with a counsellor talks to his son Chuck (Greg Harris), Billy's father, via webcam to explain the situation. Chuck initially refuses to take the child, but his girlfriend comes in mentioning child support, so he agrees to meet in Raleigh, North Carolina in a few days to take him. Before leaving, Irving sells some of Ellie's stuff, and he asks two men to help him get her body in his trunk to take and bury her somewhere properly. He and Billy get in the car and start driving. Stopping for food, the old man ends up shot in a kiddie ride through a store window. Frustrated, Irving tries to ship the boy in a box, but the post office women refuse to deliver anything living, so he agrees to take him on the road. Irving stops on the way for a game of bingo, trying to hit on many women there, drinking ink from marker pens and getting out a margarita maker. Billy meanwhile tricks a man into helping tie his shoe laces and trying to get him to adopt him. Irving and Billy next get into trouble trying to steal food from a store, opening and eating from packets. After being let go, they stop at a motel, with their neighbour seeing Ellie's corpse being pulled from the trunk. Irving wants to go to a strip club, but he misunderstands a "ladies only" sign and is surrounded by many male strippers. There, he tries to make a move on the women as a performer himself, taking his clothes off and letting his long testicles dangle. The following morning, Billy goes looking for him at strip clubs and an adult store, telling an employee she looks like a stripper. Back on the road, they stop again at a diner, with the old man hitting a large penguin statue with the car. In the diner, Billy asks his grandpa why he has to be with his father when he doesn't like him. They bond while farting, but Irving follows through and defecates on the wall. They leave and bond playing baseball and doing other fun activities. They sneak into a wedding reception for some free food, and cause a disaster. Eventually, they make it to Raleigh, Chuck is there waiting at a bar. In the bar, there are also biker organisation the Guardians of Children, who help abused kids. Irving bids his grandson a sad farewell, having bonded with him during their time on the road. GOC members notice Chuck's bad attitude towards his son. Irving drives away and reminisces on his time with Billy, and realises his mistake, driving bacl to the diner. Chuck tries to fight with his father and keep the boy for the benefits, but the biker gang hold him back and allow the grandpa and grandson to leave together,. Irving accidentally hits the gang's motorcycles while driving away. To celebrate their reunion, Irving and Billy decide to crash a child beauty pageant, with Billy dressing as a girl. He initially charms the judges and worries the competition, but makes a final performance dressed as a stripper pole and does a risqué dance to "Cherry Pie" by Warrant, until his wig falls off, revealing he is a boy, and they flee. In the end, Irving and Billy stop on a bridge, throwing Ellie's body over into the river, she sarcastically said that was where she wanted to go after she dies, and the grandfather and grandson start fishing. Outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage plays during the end credits, including the reactions after the pranks on the members of the public. Also starring Spike Jonze as Gloria and The 40 Year-Old Virgin's Catherine Keener as Ellie Zisman. The film is dedicated to Ryan Dun, who died in a drink driving crash. The loose story within the hidden camera action is simple and works well, Knoxville is funny under the great makeup, and Niccol is cute and naughty, they have terrific chemistry. But it is the setups, with smashing stunts, bodily functions, naughty dialogue, and over-the-top moments (the beauty pageant was already creepy enough) that will make you almost wet your pants laughing, a hilarious hidden-camera comedy. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. Good!
Review of Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa
