Since its release in 2006, Grandma’s Boy has become a cult classic for the stoner comedy genre. Who says that it’s a cult classic? Well I do for starters, and if you were to ask your nearest neighbourhood stoner they are likely to tell you the same. While the opinion of some random guy on the internet doesn’t really mean much (as it probably shouldn’t), there is no way that all those stoners can be wrong.
Upon release, the critics did not take well to the humour in Grandma’s Boy. It received a horrendous score on rotten tomatoes and had many critics labelling it juvenile and lazy – but that’s the brilliance of it. We don’t watch Grandma’s Boy to feel intellectually stimulated, we watch it when we need an escape from our job and the boring drudge of everyday life. Because as it turns out, seeing a mid 30s dude smoke weed and test video games for a living – while getting involved in all sorts of larger-than-life shenanigans – is just the type of stress-relief that many of us need.
Having watched and rewatched it countless times, I can personally say that the humour in Grandma’s Boy – albeit immature and crass – still holds up more than a decade later. I can also say that if you are as juvenile as me, it will certainly provide you with all the late-night laughs you could ask for. So let’s take a second and appreciate just a few of the wonderful qualities that Grandma’s Boy offers as an easy watching late-night stoner flick.
- It is endlessly quotable. From “what does high score mean, did I break it?” to “you should never throw a bong, kid. Ever.”
- Doris Roberts gives a terrific performance as the loving grandmother; we see her get stoned on accident, cut loose, and absolutely crush-it in a 1v1 death-match on xbox
- David Spade has a hilarious cameo as a vegan waiter named Shiloh
- It has a killer soundtrack – seriously, check it out
- One of the characters, Kane, drives a modded Toyota Supra (the same one that’s in the Fast and the Furious)… so that’s pretty sweet
You don’t need to be a weed aficionado, an avid gamer, or currently under the influence to get the most out of Grandma’s Boy… but it certainly helps. So what is it that really makes Grandma’s Boy the best stoner comedy of the 2000’s? Well, it’s aware that it’s outrageous, but so does Dude Where’s My Car and Pineapple Express, (both of which are incredibly hilarious and ridiculous in their own way).
The best part of Grandma’s Boy is how easy the humour lands and how fun it is to watch time and time again. It’s obvious that this was a fun movie to be a part of, and it shows in the lighthearted yet spirited performance of every actor. There is not a single scene that takes itself too seriously, and as far as Happy Madison productions go, this one has aged like fine wine.
When I declare that Grandma’s Boy is the best stoner comedy of the 2000’s, I don’t mean to downplay the hilarity and fun of watching movies like Harold and Kumar or Super Troopers; I just mean to say that Grandma’s Boy is an objectively better movie. Just kidding. Grandma’s Boy simply carries a unique and lighthearted tone, that is endearing yet also strange at times. To me, it makes for the perfect blend of stoner comedy that is watchable while in any form of consciousness.
Also, it is certainly not a stretch to say that other stoner comedies are lighthearted and easygoing in terms of plot devices etc. as well, but Grandma’s Boy rides the line of goofiness and plot structure perfectly.
If it’s your first time experiencing Grandma’s Boy, buckle up. Because you are about to witness: a karate monkey, mid 2000s’ video game culture, Jonah Hill in a side roll, a late night bathroom trip with a naughty action figure, and a party at Grandma’s house with all sorts of strangers from the Crazy Beaver!
Film Head 