Strangers with Candy

April 11, 2008

Wow, talk about disappointing!

Wait, let me back up just a bit. I heart Amy Sedaris – I really do. I have her cookbook and Wigfield. (I heart the whole damn Sedaris family, although I will never dress my family in corduroy, but maybe denim.) I heart Jerri Blank – I’ve got all of Strangers with Candy the series on DVD. Maybe that’s why I was so disappointed – I was expecting perfection and the film version just fell short.

Jerri Blank debuts on the big screen in a prequel to the TV series. The film covers her first days back at Flatpoint High and her struggle to fit in. Her best friend Tammi Littlenut is still there, as are all the teachers, but the rest of the cast has changed a bit. Orlando is gone, but he’s been replaced with Doppelgänger named Megawatti. Jerri’s dad and brother have also been recast, not a big loss.

The whole thing was downright boring until Jerri’s drug freakout – the pace picked up considerably after that point. Unfortunately, there were only about 20 minutes left in the film after that scene.

There are some impressive cameos – Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick join the teaching staff, while Allison Janney and Philip Seymour Hoffman are on the school board. Most of all, I was surprised to see Ian Holm as the family doctor.

I guess I was just expecting something over the top – scenes and situations that just wouldn’t fly on basic cable. Really, with only a few bleeps, the whole thing could be shown uncut on Comedy Central. I’ve still got high hopes for Reno 911!: Miami though.