Picture a hit TV show in which four grown men are forced to embarrass each other in public. The Tenderloins, a comedy troupe that consists of Joe Gatto, James Murray, Brian Quinn, and Sal Vulcano host the only entertaining and comedic show on the basic cable channel, truTV. Now, take a popular TV series, in which most of the acts and comedic elements only work in a television show, and turn it into a film; what would you get? Unfortunately for us, the viewers, you would get “Impractical Jokers: The Movie.” The film (of the same name) follows The Tenderloins on a quest to get to a Paula Abdul concert. Get ready to be submerged in this mess of a movie.
It can be said with total confidence that there is nothing visually dazzling about this movie; but, was dazzling ever expected? The “Impractical Jokers’” TV show follows the troupe as they set challenges for each other to attempt not to be “tonight’s loser,” where that person would be punished by the other three members. While the show is an intriguing concept and one of my personal favorites, the format does not demand sweeping landscapes or picture perfect views. If you expect to see some of the most beautiful shots in cinematographic history, then this is the wrong film for you. “Impractical Jokers: The Movie” is not meant to be a visual masterpiece, but a collection of games and challenges set up by the troupe following the main storyline.
There is not really one “setting” in this film. Throughout the story, the group travels along the East Coast from Staten Island, New York, to Miami, Florida. During their journey, they stop in many states to compete challenges. One enjoyable aspect is the exposure to different aspects of America from bustling cities such as New York City and Washington, D.C., to more rural states such as Georgia, Virginia, and North Carolina. Those who love traveling will find the aspect of a road trip a very pleasant idea.
As briefly stated, the film follows the group made up of Joe, “Q,” “Murr,” and Sal as they journey from Staten Island to Miami to see a Paula Abdul concert. When the troupe receives only three tickets to the concert instead of four, the Jokers decide to complete a set of challenges, similar to their TV show, to decide the fate of the loser who does not get to go to the concert.
The actual story is quite poor, to say the least. The entire concept that the Jokers go to such trouble to see a Paula Abdul concert is absurd (yes, I understand, it is just a movie). The only things that are worth seeing in this film are the challenges. Similar to those in the television show, the challenges take place in many different locations, with three of the Jokers instructing the fourth Joker what to do. Obviously, I do not want to spoil this movie for any who might actually want to see it, but some of the challenges are worthy of crying and laughing out loud. However, I do not feel that this movie is important to see just for those challenges. If it were not for the three to four minutes of comedy every thirty minutes, this film would be receiving an F rating.
Sal Vulcano, Brian Quinn, James Murray, and Joe Gatto in a scene from “Impractical Jokers: The Movie” (Funny or Die, 2020).
The comedy during the challenges is, for the most part, what you would expect from the Impractical Jokers—and that is a good thing. The troupe embarrassing each other in public still holds up; and, it is admirable that they can continue to make fresh and entertaining content. Regardless, that is the only positive aspect of the movie. Aside from during the challenges, most jokes just are not funny. Throughout the film, there is a running gag of “what Murr does when he is alone.” It can safely be said that by the end of the film, when this wisecrack is used for the fourth time, I was very close to ripping the cable box from the TV and throwing it out a window (maybe I exaggerated a bit, but you get the point). I would suggest to truTV or whoever has the rights to this film, that they release all of the challenges on a single video to save the viewer’s time from watching the film. Yes, the Impractical Jokers can deliver comedy; but, unfortunately in the movie, it is all obscured by the poor dialogue and truly boring story.
There is no character development in “Impractical Jokers: The Movie.” If you watch the show on truTV, you already know who these guys are and what their shtick is. If you have not watched the TV show, then you will be lost during this film. There is no point in the film that any background or character is adequately explained. The only exception occurs in the beginning of the film when Paula Abdul mentions the Jokers’ names at a Red Lobster.
The soundtrack in this movie is quite ordinary. It is difficult to even name any song that is in this film. The only certainty is that there is some of Paul Abdul’s music. The same is true of the editing; there is nothing special about the editing throughout this long and dull story. There is no intense and impressive realism as evidenced in “Saving Private Ryan” or editing that demands a second look, as in “Inception;” everything is just bland.
Overall, I would not recommend this movie to a friend, girlfriend, mother, or father. I would not even recommend this to your pet. If you want to watch The Tenderloins perform; then, turn on the television and watch the troupe’s TV show. Unlike the film, the show does not include a poor storyline and mediocre jokes. The Impractical Jokers are funny, but the format of their show did not translate well into film. While their movie may have been inferior, I would not compare it to their performances on television. Watch “Impractical Jokers” and steer clear of “Impractical Jokers: The Movie.”
