Note: This is a spoiler-free “The Happytime Murders” review
The original version of this article published on PureFandom.com
Welp. Every muppet you thought you knew is long gone. And they’ve all been replaced by your gross, immature, puberty-ridden younger brother’s muppets.
“The Happytime Murders” is a raunchy and over-the-top comedy that will bring the laughs, but only for a very specific audience.
Brian Henson took his father’s creation and went as far in the opposite direction as he possibly could with it. Both Hensons created a world where puppets coexist with people, but that’s where the comparisons end.
Muppet sex, muppet cursing, more muppet sex, muppet murder, MORE MUPPET SEX. Happytime Murders consists of all this and more R-rated fun. Think “Sausage Party” with puppets instead of cartoon food.
The movie sets the tone right from jump street and doesn’t let up. And by that, I mean the first scene of the movie is a mass murder in a porn shop. It turns out one of those murdered is a member of a popular ’80s TV show, and a disgraced LAPD detective-turned-private eye puppet takes on the case. He tries to solve the case while simultaneously trying to solve a relationship with his ex-partner, Edwards (Melissa McCarthy). A variety of laughter ensues.
There is some laughing at the good old fashioned joke, sure. A majority of the laughs come from crude, politically-incorrect humor though. If that ain’t your thing, this movie ain’t your thing.
McCarthy obviously takes her turn in the comedy, but it’s not just stupid physical comedy so credit to her for that. It works, and I would definitely consider this her funniest performance to date.
The plot has holes in it, yes. But it’s about a world where crude puppets co-exist with people, so what do you expect? Some of the scenes are too much as well, but you certainly can’t say Henson and company didn’t go for it.
One thing no one can take away from “The Happytime Murders”, no matter what they think of the movie, is the puppet work. A lot of people put in a lot of hard work to make a world like this happen both on and off screen. My guess is what the puppets are physically doing will take away from that fact and people won’t notice, so it feels like it has to be said.
Should I see “The Happytime Murders”?
Here’s the deal with this movie. A LOT of people aren’t going to like it. It’s raunchy and immature. Lucky for me I’m also raunchy and immature, so I got a kick out of “The Happytime Murders”. If you are too, it’s worth seeing this R-rated comedy. If not, there is absolutely zero reason to see it. Just know who you are and what to expect before walking into the theater.
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(Featured Image courtesy of STX)
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