Could it be that with two Oscars in his possession, Sean Penn has finally accepted that he doesn’t have to be Mr. Super Serious Dramatic Thespian all the time? That he is, in fact, capable of making us laugh our arses off? That some of us consider his Jeff Spicoli one of the awesomest characters ever? How else to explain the news that this year’s Best Actor winner has been cast as Larry in the Farrelly brothers’ The Three Stooges, which is sure to be about the farthest thing from the high-minded, Oscar-bait movies he’s favored for the past, oh, two decades?
Don’t get me wrong; I think Penn is among our very best dramatic actors. And I don’t want him to stop taking parts like Harvey Milk. But dammit, I’m thrilled he’s signed up for a Farrelly flick. The movie itself may hardly be a slam dunk. The brothers have been trying to get a Stooges romp off the ground for more than 10 years, and comedy purists are sure to cry foul that anyone would even attempt to recreate the original trio’s magic — even if those "anyones" are Jim Carrey and possibly Benicio del Toro. But as long as Penn manages to be half as hilarious as he was in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, I’ll be happy. I don’t know about you, but I never tire of watching Spicoli tell Mr. Hand he’s "learning about Cuba, and having some food!" Instant serotonin. And pizza!
What about you? Are you as stoked as I am that Penn is putting the funny back on?






Comments (1-30) of 39 Add your comment
Awesome! Totally awesome!!
This generations Ishtar…
Awesomest? Arses?
Your journalism school must be Columbia!
Sounds like a recipe for failure.
inspired!
i would rather them go the Penn route, than Will Ferrell. It will give the movie a better push.
he proved his comedic chops well with not only jeff spicoli but also “Friends”.
They did a movie about the Stooges a few years ago!!! The guy that played in the Fantastic Four was a great Curly. And it was a terrible movie. Have they run out of good ideas?
Moe, Larry, Cheese…. Limburger!!
It was a television movie about the Stooges. It summed it up pretty much so I don’t understand why there should be a regular film about them.
There was and will never be another, “Three Stooges.” I doubt the movie will make any money. I will not bother to see it. There was one Moe, one Larry and one Curly. Leave these classics alone. Please create your own “new comedy.” I thought Jim Carey learned from his flop “Man on the Moon” movie trying to play “Andy Kaufman.” It cannot be done, fellows, find something “new” to do. I am tired of all of the Hollywood copycat movies. Please create your own new comedies, movies, etc.
I agree. Please come up with new movies. Detroit and Hollywood should be allowed to fail.
Sound like the perfect role for the perfect fool. The concept–and Penn–a sure loser
I miss the Stooges, I will at least give it a watch. They have some pretty big shoes to fill!!
Remember him with curly hair in Carlito’s Way.
It’s more like: Nyuk, nyuk, YUK!
I doubt you could fine 3 actors who look less like the original stooges than Sean Penn, Benito Del Toro, and Jim Carrey.
First … the 3 stooges were all extremely short. Maybe 5 foot?
Jack Black as Curly would have been a better choice.
Of course, Larry was never the funny one. . .
Just watch the 1989 remake of WE’RE NO ANGERLS with him and Robert DeNiro and you’ll see just funny Sean Penn WASN’T!
gah! seriously??? the entire thing’s just wrong…
Learn about Cuba is precisely what this a-hole should do before “writing” apologetic “articles” on its tyrannical dictators.
While at it, he should also learn a thing or two about Venezuela and our *actual* current situation before coming here to lick chávez’s military boots.
Oh, and take Benicio with you so he doesn’t make a fool out of himself again. Motherf-ers.
I’m with you Missy! I’m pumped if this works out!
Finally! a role suitable for his acting skills.
*Ishtar* hehehe
Thanks Bob! I’ll go wipe the milk from my nose now.
They should cast Mickey Rourke as Moe so he can kick the crap outta Penn for stealing his best Actor Oscar Award…
What’s wrong with these people? There was only one Maxwell Smart, and it was Don Adams not Steve Carell. Peter Sellers was Insp. Jacques Clouseau, not Steve Martin. Moses Horowitz (Moe), Larry Fine, Jerome Horowits (Curly) and yes, Shemp Horowitz are the ONLY people who will ever be qualified to play the Three Stooges. Stop the blasphemy!
Why not find three comedians to do the job? I know Jim Carrey has done a lot of comedy, but that’s just it…we have already seen him do so much that we already know what to expect. Give the job to three deserving comedians…you won’t be sorry.
I guess they are running out of material in Hollywood. Now they have to tread on sacred Stooges ground! Stupid and sacreligious. Can not believe the families of the original can not block this blasfimy. Must be public domain now. None of those actors deserve the right to play the one and only Three Stooges. An eye poke to the producers!!
I will not go to see ANY movie with Sean Penn in it not even one w/ my beloved 3 stooges. I’ll just have to enjoy my box set of the real deal.
I can also promise that no one that I know will go see it either!
Does anyone else think that John C. Reilly would be an ideal Curly?
As a long time fan of the Farrelly’s, I can’t say I’ve ever doubted the wisdom of their choices, but this is just so wrong in so many ways. First, Penn is a no talent hack, second, he’s a fascist. My point in this is that the Stooges were the first to use their fame as a vehicle to take a swipe at Hitler, long before Chaplin did. It’s an insult to those three wonderful, gentle and decent men, especially to Larry Fine (who I met as a child) to cast Sean Penn in that role. There are many fine actors out there, I think Paul Giamatti would be perfect in the role.