Reviews

It's a fact of life: Men think the Three Stooges are hilarious, and most women just don't get them. But women might want to give them a second chance after seeing this touching biography.

The thing that struck me most about the Three Stooges movie was its tone. This was a film made by people who genuinely cared about the Three Stooges, people who wanted to express their appreciation by giving the world a glimpse of the men behind the laughs. The Stooges were comic geniuses, but they were human and fragile, just like the rest of us. Sure it was sappy at times, and sometimes seemed to gloss over or omit certain events, but hey--you can't show thirty years in two hours without missing something. Especially poignant was the relationship between Moe and his "little" brother Curly.

Told mostly in flashbacks, The Three Stooges follows the boys from their Vaudeville days with Ted Healy to their triumphant return to the stage after the first TV showing of their two-reel shorts. The reality was that Columbia pictures was making a mint off the Stooges films, but their contract cut them out of any profit-sharing. Anxious to get back to the stage and enjoy some of the fame they've earned, Moe, Larry, and Joe "Curly Joe" DeRita agree to make the first of many personal appearances at a TV station. The final scene has Moe, Larry, and Curly Joe taking the stage for the first time in years.

I'm not ashamed to admit it: When the curtain went up and the surviving Stooges looked out at the packed house, I cried. Maybe because the Stooges are a part of my history--a good and happy part--the way they're a part of the history of every kid who grew up watching their antics.

It's not perfect, but it's the best there is. At the very least, it's a good Stooges primer and a stepping stone to further Stooge research. The Stooges will never go away, because let's face it: As long as men are men, the Three Stooges will be their comic heroes.

I'll say this right up front: Full Throttle is a damn good movie. The only thing is, if you're looking for a roadracing movie where the racing is primary and the plot is secondary, try "Race for Glory" instead. Full Throttle is less about bikes and more about relationships. Namely, the relationship between Jimmy, the street racing king; Annie, Jimmy's long-suffering girlfriend; and new guy David, and up-and-coming racer who befriends Jimmy.

The street-racing scenes are more than decent, but where the movie shines is in the drama department. Kar Lok Chin (Jimmy) looks suitably tortured as he recovers from a debilitating crash, attempts to reconcile with his father, and tries to stop sabotaging his relationship with Annie.

Without the convincing dramatic elements, the movie would not have held up, and while I would have preferred more racing, I found Full Throttle to be a solid piece of work. You can't ask for more than that.

So what if Chow Yun Fat fires a hundred rounds apiece from his pistols without reloading? Who cares whether shotgun rounds explode when they impact? Hard Boiled isn't about the reality, it's about the action--which is so over-the-top that reality takes a back seat. HB is like Tequila's toothpick: It's all about the Cool.