Strangers with Candy (2006)

Pretty Good

Instant Favorite.

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

I hadn't heard very good things, so I didn't go into it with high expectations, and still it managed to disappoint, big time.Where was the over-dramatic "after-school special" music? Where were Jerri's funky pets? Why did they change Derrick, using an actor that isn't butt-ugly? And why, for the love of God, wasn't it funny? Almost every joke felt forced, and half of them were simply recycled from the show.God...DAMN IT!I would much rather they just bring the show back. Probably not gonna happen, now that Colbert is such a big star that he's coining words that dictionaries take seriously. Come to think of it, whoever first said that "Strangers" would make a good movie was speaking nothing but truthiness.

When I saw the title I thought it would be a hilarious movie. However, when I watched the fist 10 minutes, I was deeply disappointed.For starters, Sarah Jessica Parker had a shameful role, and why she accepted the role is beyond me.Also, I wondered why no one thought it was strange that a 47-year-old was in high school. If she turned up at my high school, I would think she had a mental problem.We also didn't find out why she went to jail. On the plot summary, it said she was an "ex con-junkie whore" yet that is not explained in the movie.If anyone asked me about this movie, I would tell the not to hire it.Awful movie

"Strangers with Candy" (2005) Directed By: Paul Dinello Starring: Amy Sedaris, Greg Hollimon, Paul Dinello, Deborah Rush, Stephen Colbert, Dan Hedaya, Allison Janney, & Philip Seymour Hoffman MPAA Rating: "R" (for sexual content, language and some drug material) "Strangers with Candy" started out as a short-lived television series on Comedy Central. It lasted, I believe, for eleven episodes in 1999 before being cancelled. It told the story of a forty-six year old ex-drug addict who went back to high school. I never caught the series on television…and, obviously, I was not the only one. However, the people who did watch it loved it. It became an instant cult classic. I still haven't seen a single episode so, to be perfectly honest, I couldn't care less about seeing this movie. But, having heard great things about the series, I decided I would give it a chance. Now, I can honestly say that the plot is nothing special and really isn't that funny. What makes "Strangers with Candy" so wonderful is Amy Sedaris. Her performance makes the entire movie click. Watching Sedaris work makes this experience one that everyone should check out at some time or another. She allows the movie to transcend its rather typical plot to become a surprisingly funny comedy.This movie is a prequel to the television series mentioned above (or, at least, that's what they tell me--I don't really know). Jerri Blank (Sedaris) is a middle-aged woman who has just been released from jail after being imprisoned on drug charges. When she gets home, she finds that her father, Guy (Hedaya), remarried, had a son, and happened to fall into a coma. Jerri decides that becoming "special" will help her dad recover so she returns to high school in hopes of excelling. Immediately, things go from bad to worse. She just cannot find a place in the vastly-different school system and seems to be making enemies left and right. The school, itself, is a blend of back-stabbing teenagers and careless, thoughtless administrators. What kind of grief counselor requests tips and a strict ten minute session limit, you ask? Well, the one working at this school does. But, Jerri hatches an ingenious plan (okay, as "ingenious" as one that Jerri could device) to take part in the school's science fair. Winning, she hopes, will be the perfect key to bring her dad back to her.The performances in "Strangers with Candy" work quite well and, really, they make the movie what it is. Amy Sedaris gives one of the best comedic performances of the year, proving that she is Jerri Blank. There is no substitute. I found myself laughing every time she was on the screen (which was almost always). She just had an undeniable charm about her and is a true comic genius. Deborah Rush also does a nice job as Jerri's spiteful stepmother. She was great. Greg Hollimon, who plays Principal Blackman, aced the material, coming off as a satirical look at the educational system without appearing to be ridiculous or cheesy. He just worked. I really enjoyed his performance. Stephen Colbert, another comic genius (if I do say so myself), is hilarious as the flamboyantly gay teacher. Granted, the material given to him was just perfect, but he really owned the role and made it his own. On a special note, what was with Dan Hedaya? He was unconscious for almost the entire movie. Couldn't they get just some random actor to lie in a bed for an hour and a half? It just seemed a little strange to me.On the downside of this movie, there were a few moments when I thought the plot kind of slacked. The plot itself wouldn't have worked had it not had been for the great cast. It was predictable, clichéd, and a little silly, but, because of such actors and actresses as Amy Sedaris, it worked well enough. This movie reminded me (oddly enough) of "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan". "Borat" also had a rather dull plot--okay, in all actuality, there was hardly a plot at all, but, because of Sacha Baron Cohen, the movie worked like a charm. This was also the case with "Napoleon Dynamite". Jon Heder, whether you die-hard fans will admit it or not, made that movie. Amy Sedaris did the same thing with "Strangers with Candy". Her wonderful performance made this movie a gem--forgotten by the general public (it only grossed a little over $2 million)--but a gem nonetheless.Final Thought: "Strangers with Candy" has Amy Sedaris to thank for its effectiveness.Overall Rating: 7/10 (B+)

Just watched this last night and all I can say is, "Wow, what the h*ll happened????" The TV series was outrageously hilarious. The things that came out of Jerri Blank's mouth would make a sailor blush! But the movie? Oh my, it was a completely watered-down, lame version of the TV show -- in fact many lines spoken during the movie I recognized from the TV show. I'm very embarrassed for Amy Sedaris and Stephen Colbert, two otherwise hugely talented people. I'm at a loss to understand how these two could've let this movie hit the streets.If you've never seen the "Strangers with Candy" TV series, get it and see some really funny, whacked-out comedy. It's available on DVD, all three seasons. Please don't judge SWC by this movie.If you're a fan of the show but haven't seen the movie yet, then please take my advice and don't see the movie. It will just make you really, really sad. It may even ruin the show for you, and I don't want that to happen to you! I had to watch season 1 of the series last night after watching the movie, as an antidote to the movie. I'll be watching season 2 this evening for further therapy, with season 3 at the ready for further ministrations as needed.