As a huge fan of Johnny Knoxville and the whole Jackass crew, I had high hopes for Bad Grandpa. Unfortunately, for me, this film added one fundamental element that all Jackass movies should be without…a plot. The movie follows old man Irving (Johnny Knoxville) and his grandson, Billy (Jackson Nicoll), as they travel across the country to reunite Billy with his estranged father while his mother serves out her time in prison. Basically, it is the perfect coming of age story…that is, until you actually meet old man Irving.

Irving (Knoxville) was a great character when he was first introduced in the Jackass TV series during its early 2000 run.  I remember the first time I saw Knoxville dressed as Irving. He would rap to Public Enemy, crash his scooter, and fight other guys dressed as old men. You couldn’t ask for much more in a TV series back then. Then, like all the great TV shows, it was converted to the big screen. I believe all the Jackass films were hilarious, because no one ever knew where the movie was headed. between nut punches and explosions, you could never guess what would come next. Bad Grandpa sticks to the formula of the unexpected but keeps the film inline with a cookie cutter plot that you can predict from the very first scene.

As Irving (Knoxville) and Billy (Nicoll) travel across the country, they, as you might guess, hit a few speed bumps – from hole-in-the-wall strip clubs to podunk grocery stores to small town beauty pageants. Now, this is where the Jackass crew prevails. Seeing the reactions on people’s faces as they watch Irving (Knoxville) belittle people, drink, chase tail, and occasionally get a little too comfortable with vending machines, is the real comedy. I could not imagine what I would do if I witnessed firsthand some of things that go down in this movie. It still blows me away that there are parts of the country that do now know who or what Jackass is.

While the pranks live up to the Jackass movies of old sadly, for every hilarious situation that unfolds, we get about five minutes of story. If you add that up, it accounts for almost one third of the movie. I would have much rather seen a montage of guys getting tazed or kicked in the balls between the skits than actual acting. It’s not that Knoxville and Nicoll are terrible; it’s that there is no point. When you make a film including real stunts and real reactions, why carry a plot? Just go from scene to scene making the stunts grander and grander as the film rolls on. Bad Grandpa is nothing better than Sacha Baron Cohen’s Borat (2006), which is not saying much. The thing about Cohen, though, is that he learned his mistake. He abandoned the real people aspect and decided to go completely fictional for The Dictator (2012).

But, at the end of the day, ask yourself: Do you find underage drinking, death jokes, and poop funny? Have you always wondered how real people would react to the ending of Little Miss Sunshine (2006)? If you answered yes, then let old man Irving show you the way. If none of those concepts tickle your funny bone, I suggest you stay in and watch A Perfect World (1993) instead.

Grade: 2 out of 5

Submission: Ken Luken