“Dysfunktional Family” (Miramax Pictures)
Eddie Griffin scored a surprise success with last year’s “Undercover Brother.” He was pegged to be among the group of fast rising young comedians in Hollywood. Many people were anxious to see what his next movie would be. Well it has arrived and it is called “Dysfunktional Family.” With it Eddie goes from rising star to sinking ship.
“Dysfunktional” is a concert movie. It is an hour and a half of Eddie standing on stage making funny. Most of his routines are about his family and they are accented by the fact his family is in the audience. But instead of this enhancing the comedy, it enhances the embarrassment. We don’t think Eddie’s momma should hear her son talk such trash, even if it doesn’t embarrass him.
Eddie tells how his mother whipped him with a belt; then switched to switches and whipped him till he bled; then she tried to run him down with her car. Could this be called child abuse Then there was the father who never stuck around to see Eddie grow up. He came back when he was sixteen but by then it was too little too late. Could this be called abandonment
Eddie’s uncle was a good role model. He was into pornography and kept his stash open for all to view. He liked to show the graphic pictures of the women he had worked with and brought home. When he is interviewed on camera he still is proud of his career. Could this be called stupidity
Watching these relatives it is easy to see why Eddie Griffin calls his movie “Dysfunktional Family.” That is what they are alright. But what about the fact that Eddie calls himself a comic All of the talent he has shown in the past goes down the drain with this movie. He honestly seems to believe that if he uses the worst profanity over and over, it will be funny. Then if he talks about sex in the most graphic language well that will be funny too.
Griffin doesn’t have any idea of great humor. He just keeps getting cruder and cruder and his audience responds with more and more laughter. His mother and uncle included. Finally his diatribes run out and the movie ends.
The film is rated R for endless profanity and sex jokes.
You may have thought “Jackass: The Movie” was the low point from Hollywood these days, but never underestimate the industry’s ability to sink lower and lower. “Dysfunktional” is just about as bad as “Jackass” but at least it is mostly talk with very few visuals.
There are some humorous moments in “Dysfunktional Family,” but very few. And they aren’t worth sitting through the other trash that fills the rest of the screen time.
I scored “Dysfunktional Family” a maniacal 2 out of 10.
©2003 Jackie K. Cooper
