Strangers with Candy

Jerri Blank (Amy Sedaris) is a 46 year old awkward ex-con junkie prostitute. She is let out of prison and returns home to find her father in a coma with a younger wife (Deborah Rush). She decides to go back to school and take a different path so that her father can wake up from his coma. The school is filled with wacky teachers and mean girls led by Monica (Elisabeth Harnois). She's hot for Monica's boyfriend Brason (Chris Pratt). She takes Tammi Littlenut (Maria Thayer) under her chicken wing and befriends loser Megawatti Sucarnaputri. Teacher Chuck Noblet (Stephen Colbert) breaks up with Geoffrey Jellineck (Paul Dinello) and faces a challenge from Roger Beekman (Matthew Broderick) for the science fair.

This is a prequel to the cult TV show 5 years after it went off the air. It's ridiculous, insane and stupid. Amy Sedaris is gloriously ridiculous. The movie does wear thin after awhile. It extends the half-hour format a little too far but it's still a great watch for fans of the TV show.

This movie was hilarious, probably the funniest movie at Sundance this year. Its a must see for any fan of the show. But you don't have to have seen the show to enjoy it since the plot is basically the same as the show's. In it, Geri heads back to high school in order to save her father who is trapped in a coma. The principal cast from the show is all here and they're all wonderful, especially Principal Blackman, who in my opinion is the best part of the movie. Stephen Colbert is brilliant as always, and Amy Sedaris' portrayal of Geri is always amazing to see (especially if you've ever seen her without the make-up on). All in all, funniest movie I've seen since Shaun of the Dead. See it, seriously.

I saw the Strangers With Candy movie yesterday at a free screening. I'm a huge fan of the show (I own all 3 seasons on DVD) and I couldn't believe my luck at having been given a pass. For the most part, t.v. shows don't translate well on the big screen and it pains me to say that Strangers with Candy the movie is no exception to this rule.

Basically, the film is a re-hashing of the same gags and jokes true fans know and love (and will unmistakably remember) from the t.v. show. This lame regurgitation simply didn't work, and it was evident through the acting that the actors themselves felt uncomfortable reciting the same material.

A side note: At the risk of sound like a total obsessive nerd and the equivalent of SWC "trekkie"....why the hell did they change Derrick??? and the Flatpoint campus (not to mention its new location directly across from the Blank residence!) And this Megawatti person is such a lame substitution for Orlando!

This is not to say that the film didn't have it's funny moments--it did have it's fair share. The opening prison montage was especially funny and memorable. Stephen Colbert was hilarious in every scene, and Amy delivered as usual.

The movie is great, for what it is. I am a loyal fan of the show and the cast and they did a good job of making a movie version of the series. However, it is important to note that this process is very difficult and the movie appears to be more of a long episode of the show. Nevertheless, it is enjoyable, with jokes that are easily accessible to those who have a clue about the world, and makes fun of those who do not. Paul Dinello, Stephen Colbert, Amy Sedaris...all brilliant. Ms. Sedaris, a slight, cute woman in reality is vulgar and wonderfully crude. Stephen Colbert does a great job of being the born again Christian teacher (note the table of elements in the background of his classroom-it's in the shape of a cross!). And Paul Dinello is a reliable, humorous counterpart to Mr. Colbert once again. Parodying society in a parallel universe of a twisted after school special, it is wonderfully enjoyable.

Kind of like a best of album for the show, all the best routines and gags are here. If you can get your hands on the series watch it, unlike Reno 911 were the movie is an extension of (and better than) the series, this is the entire series condensed ...(read more)to an hour and half. Though there's a lot of recycled material there's a fair amount of new jokes as well. In any event its still one of the funniest comedies in recent memory. Amy Sedaris is brilliant, and Stephen Colbert is great to watch here as well. My only real complaint is the dance sequence in the credits is kinda simple(the dance sequences at the end of each episode used to be one of the best parts of the show). Sans that, this was great.

"Hello, I'm Jerri Blank and - and I'm an alcoholic. I'm also addicted to amphetamines as well as main line narcotics. Some people say I have a sex addiction, but I think all those years of prostitution was just a means to feed my ravenous hunger for heroin. It's kinda like the chicken or the nugget. The point is, I'm addicted to gambling. Thank you."