BY MICHAEL GOODPASTER
(FOUR) STIR CRAZY
I can’t believe I almost forgot about this one. For a while this slot was for Half Baked, but I was weary about that one. It has some fun prison comedy in it, but it’s not REALLY a “prison comedy”. This one is the classic. It’s the debut of the Pryor/Wilder comedy duo, which is easily one of the best and probably most important comedy duos of all time. This movie is hilarious. It’s the classic tale of “dude is unjustly jailed, let the hijinks ensue” kind of movie and it does it very well. This sets the standard, but for some reason it wasn’t as obvious to me when putting the list together.
(THREE) LIFE
This has to be one of the most underrated movies of all time. Seriously. I mean that. Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence were amazing in this amazing movie. The movie tells a story about two wrongfully convicted inmates who spend their entire life in prison. We see them go through all the trials and tribulations of black men coming up during the most racist of years in our post-Civil War America. The movie is funny, has tons of heart, and is just really well done. The supporting cast did a great part in that too. There are too many awesome talents to list, but they all complimented Eddie and Martin perfectly. R.I.P. Bernie Mac.
(TWO) THE LONGEST YARD
This might be sacrelgious, but I’m more of a fan of the 2005 Adam Sandler remake than the Burt Reynolds version. Burt was the king, but the movie didn’t have the heart of the 2005 version. I think it’s mainly because Sandler has more range. Crazy? Nope! Sandler has no problem being vulnerable or making himself look bad. Reynolds was “too cool for school” and I think that took a little away from it. Then we also have Chris Rock and a slew of others pulling out really solid performances. It’s not the best movie of all time, but I really enjoyed it. It’s the prisoners vs. the guards in an ultimate game… no war… of pigskin.
(ONE) LET’S GO TO PRISON
I love this movie. Whenever it’s on, my TV magically stops and forces me to watch it. I shouldn’t be so quick to blame my TV because the movie is just great. Dax Shepard and Will Arnett star in a very under-appreciated movie. I kind of think this movie was a bit ahead of its time. It’s really smart in its silliness, which is weird to say but the best way to say it. Bob Odenkirk directs this monster while guys like Chi McBride round out the supporting cast. It’s about a habitual criminal who holds a grudge against a judge so much that once he dies he decides to take it out on his obnoxious over-privileged son. It all plays out like butter. The practicality, the tone, and the humor remind me of an old 80’s Harold Ramis movie, but still has its own thing going. If you’ve not seen it, see it!
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