The Happytime Murders (2018)

Review by CJ

Director:
Brian Henson

Starring:
Melissa McCarthy, Bill Barretta, Elizabeth Banks, Maya Rudolph

Other notable appearances:
Joel McHale, Leslie David Baker, Brian Henson, Ben Falcone

Running time:
91 minutes

Watch this if you liked:
Sausage Party, Team America: World Police 

 

After the murder of his brother, a star on the nostalgic hit TV show The Happytime Gang, former puppet cop Phil Philips (Barretta) must rejoin forces with the human partner who betrayed him (McCarthy) to save the rest of the Gang before they have the stuffing knocked out of them.

This is not a good film. No beating around the bush. This was bad. And, as a queen of “so bad it’s good movies”, I’m here to tell you this was just bad. 

I’m not completely oblivious. I knew going into The Happytime Gang it would either be amazing or abysmal. But in 90 minutes, I laughed twice. They weren’t big laughs but they were aloud so they’re allowed. 

The Happytime Murders is a hackneyed detective tale with Melissa McCarthy’s insult humour schtick comedy and predictable ending. The addition of puppets does nothing to add much to the entertainment value except the shock comedy of seeing puppets abusing drugs, having sex and being murdered.

The only reasons The Happytime Murders gets an extra star are that the puppets do look very impressive, though this is to be expected from the son of Jim Henson, and that Maya Rudolph’s appearance, though brief, adds chemistry and fun to an otherwise pretty lacklustre comedy film.

The Happytime Murders relies on cheap, cliche gags when it could have been a much more original film. I am by no means above low brow humour, but dull is dull regardless of the maturity level. 

Rating:

“Clean up on aisle Phil.”