‘The Happytime Murders’ Review: Bad Puppets

The Happytime Murders Review
3.2
out of 5

The Happytime Murders could have been so much more. The very idea — a world where puppets and humans live together, and a hard boiled ex-cop-turned PI has to solve a case which leads into a larger murder investigation — was more than enough plot to make this work. But, unfortunately, the human cast ruins any hope of this film being anything more than forgettable gross-out comedy, where the laughs come from “muppet-like” puppets having sex, doing drugs, and cursing.

The Happytime Murders has some great laughs. In fact, the first 20 minutes or so are uproariously funny, as the film eschews all conventions of what puppets are known for, even going so far to shoot past the popular stage production Avenue Q in adult themes. The fun stops — as it comes to a complete stop — when Melissa McCarthy’s character shows up. McCarthy is funny and incredibly talented, but here, she is outclassed by puppets, and her fall back is to devour as much scenery as she can, while trying to stay ahead of the story. And she fails. McCarthy is like an anchor pulling the whole production down, and not even a decent noir-ish story can keep it afloat.


The Happytime Murders Review

The Happytime Murders is the story of Phil Phillips (Bill Barretta), a puppet private investigator who was once a decorated cop — and the first puppet policeman in LAPD history. Like a good detective story, Phil had some issues while on the force and after an incident, he left the department disgraced. Now he drinks his days away while solving cases for other puppets. When a “hot” puppet named Sandra (Dorien Davies) hires Phil to investigate a blackmail scheme, he finds himself in the middle of a murder spree of the cast of a 1980’s TV show called The Happytime Gang. Phil’s brother was one of the stars, and when he is killed, the case becomes personal.

Melissa McCarthy plays Detective Connie Edwards, Phil’s old LAPD partner and the person who cost him his job. She leads the investigation into the murders and she and Phil have to put aside their differences and team up to solve the case. There are other human cameos, such as Elizabeth Banks as the only human from the Happytime show and Phil’s ex, and Maya Rudolph as his secretary. Even Joel McHale shows up for some reason as an FBI agent, but the screenwriters apparently have no idea how the FBI works, so his role doesn’t make a lot of sense.

The Happytime Murders Review

The Happytime Murders had enough story and premise — as tired as it is — to carry on its own weight, but adding McCarthy and her tour de force of loud, unfunny crap nearly ruins the whole thing. The script by Todd Berger, based off his and Dee Austin Robertson’s story, does a decent job of creating the right classic PI story set ups, but the good in the script is far outmatched by the bad. And viewers with even the slightest sense can see there are two films here, one good, the other awful, and unfortunately, the awful wins out in the end.

And for a film about puppets that relies so much on the world created by the Muppets, those lovable Jim Henson creations that have thrilled and educated children for generations, The Happytime Murders is directed by Henson’s son, Brian, creating that needed to bridge to respectability. Unfortunately, that bridge is just another thing devoured by McCarthy’s on-screen shenanigans.

The Happytime Murders is very funny, and when the film focuses on the puppets and their struggles, it shines. I could have easily watched these puppet characters for 90 minutes and been fine. But money had to be made, and the film needed some star power, and Melissa McCarthy was the choice to be that power. Her performance ruins this film, and sadly, no amount of silly string can save it.

The Happytime Murders is rated R and is in theaters now. And just to be clear, this is NOT a children’s film.

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