The concept of this movie had potential. "The Andy Griffith Show" is a classic, with some of the most memorable characters in TV history. So the idea of making a movie around those characters and the town of Mayberry definitely has potential . But that potential is squandered here.
It's as though someone came up with an interesting idea, but no one involved in this film was capable of turning that idea into a professional film.
The script is paper-thin, most of the actors appear to be rank amateurs, and the one semi-professional, in the lead role, doesn't really have the kind of charisma it would take to single-handedly elevate this effort.
I suppose that isn't surprising, when you consider that the script was written and the movie was directed by a guy whose past credits are predominantly for Saturday morning cartoons.
Once we are in in the mock Mayberry town, and have met the people doing impressions of the classic characters such as Barney Fife and Floyd the Barber (some of which are pretty good, at least in small doses), the movie sort of runs out of gas - and ideas.
The film has its heart in the right place, and was obviously hoping to wring a profit from Mayberry nostalgia, but that just isn't enough.
In sum, if you are a diehard fan of "The Andy Griffith Show", who is easily thrilled by anything Mayberry, then this novelty film will amuse you, at least for a while, and you may be able to ignore its obvious flaws. But keep your expectations low.
I suspect that the main fans of this movie will be the town residents of Danville, Indiana, where the movie was filmed, and the friends and family members of the people doing the impressions of the Mayberry characters, who will doubtlessly be thrilled by seeing their hometown starring in a movie.
(But come to think of it, Indiana is a long way from North Carolina.)
