Jacka** Presents: Bad Grandpa - 5 stars out of 10

Jacka** Presents: Bad Grandpa - 5 stars out of 10

Just when his self-destructive equation was getting old, Johnny Knoxville comes up with a way to combine slapstick humor and extreme shock-value antics with a plot.  Unlike its predecessors which were pointless (though hilarious) montages of painful stunts, “Bad Grandpa” takes the candid camera approach that allows the crowd reactions to do the talking.  While nothing can ever live up to the documentary realism of “Borat,” this film is reminiscent of the pranks and horrified onlookers.  While scenes like the soda machine and strip club make the film uncomfortable to watch (like its predecessors), this film is much easier to watch since extreme pain is not inflicted on any of the characters.  In the style of this series, there are many hilariously memorable sequences in the film.  For me, the best is the penguin.  From the moment that the car runs into the giant wooden penguin, it is impossible to stop laughing.  I don’t think that the directors quite got the reaction they were hoping for when they put them in the bar with the bikers, but that’s the risk of a candid scene.  Johnny Knoxville looks so convincing and this film actually has a chance at winning an Oscar for Best Hair and Make-up.   While you have to expect this film to be crude and inappropriate, that expectation will allow you to let go of your inhibitions and just laugh that this carefully crafted character.