Stoner movies these days... they just don’t make ‘em like they used to. I remember the good old times when Jay and Silent Bob went forth on their quest in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back with the noble goal of beating up all the people who had made rude comments about them on the internet. They had a purpose—motivation. They even had a monkey. The title character in Grandma’s Boy also has a monkey, but the similarity between the two movies ends there, and unfortunately the presence of the monkey does not make up for the main character’s uninspiring personality.
Allen Covert (who is also the co-screenwriter) plays Alex, a pothead who works as a videogame tester. He has a creative streak that enables him to develop his own amazing game, which he has not yet revealed to the world. His other positive qualities are that he is… um, let’s see here... nice to old ladies and… oh yes, can beat any teenager at any videogame. A pretty exciting guy, to be sure, and Covert does what he can to make the character more appealing. He is particularly good at a resignedly slouching walk that captures perfectly the inertness of his character. You know, I was about to say that given the lazy script-writing he doesn’t have much to work with, but then I remembered that Covert co-wrote the script. After all those years of writing for so many Adam Sandler films, one would think he had the expertise come up with something better.
Anyhow, when Alex is thrown out of his apartment by a not-particularly-funny Yuri (Rob Schneider), he finds temporary refuge with a fellow game tester who still lives with his parents. Following a nighttime bathroom incident in which Alex is surprised by his friend’s mother while he is masturbating and accidentally ejaculates all over her, embarrassment forces him to seek another pad. His Grandma Lilly (Doris Roberts) is more than happy to let him stay with her and her elderly roomies, and this is where one would assume the story would take off, but instead, the pace of the movie slows down and, in some parts, stops dead in its tracks.
You could say this movie has a character-driven plot, but, in fact, the only thing that’s driven is a car with a monkey behind the wheel (but more on the monkey later). It becomes fairly obvious that the point of the movie is not to tell a story but to explore the daily life of the gaming world and its strange denizens. These recognizable types provide a few good laughs, especially J.P. (Joel Moore), a videogame creator who wears Matrix-style couture, fancies himself a genius and lives in denial of the real world. Alex’s romantic interest (Linda Cardellini) also helps liven things up, giving a fun portrayal of a competent businesswoman who seems completely out of place in the gaming world but, as it later turns out, has a penchant for smoking weed and partying hard. Her impromptu song and dance number is possibly the highlight of the film.
The other bright spot is probably the monkey, who really should have gotten more screen time, as all the funniest moments happen around it. There is one scene in which Alex, in an utterly depressed state of mind, smokes an enormous joint while the monkey sits next to him on the couch, gazing at him with its thoughtful, expressive eyes. “Don’t judge me, monkey,” he utters despondently.
If you look at it objectively, it is a pretty dire film, but on the other hand, it could be very entertaining if you watch it in the company of friends while downing some beers or smoking some weed. Still, in all honesty, my grandmother could have written a better movie. (Sonya Solo, Vueweekly, Edmonton, January 15. 2006)
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