Trailer Park Boys: The Movie

The announcement of a TV show making the jump to the big screen generally leaves people with scepticism over the quality of stretching out a weekly half-hour show into a 90-minute one-off. But Trailer Park Boys is actually coming full circle, as the show started off as a short black-and-white movie, only this time the results are far more rewarding. With producer Ivan Reitman’s money, along with a much stronger grasp on its characters and writing, this new film about incompetent white trash criminals looks good on the large screen and should satisfy newcomers and fans alike. The plot draws upon past episodes but with new some new twists: Ricky and Julian return from prison to their dodgy homes in Sunnyvale trailer park with schemes for the ultimate heist while doing battle with drunken park supervisor Mr. Lahey. This time around, Ricky and Julian, along with "voice of reason” Bubbles, plan to pull off the "big dirty,” which involves jacking a gigantic bubble of toonies and loonies from the lobby of a local movie theatre. Of course it doesn’t go as planned, comedy ensues and things wind up as they usually do for the threesome, who continue to dodge bullets in their quest for that unreachable "early retirement.” The DVD contains the extras you’d expect, including alternate and extended takes, which aren’t incredibly entertaining, as you watch a scene in its lengthy unedited state, though getting to see more of Ricky and Donny exchanging profanities is always welcome. There are some amusing deleted scenes, with J-Roc’s sampler going off track at the wedding and Sarah wrestling her jug of milk from Ricky’s grasp, as well there’s a 30-minute "making of” segment that gives a brief history on the show’s growth, though the interviews with the three stars are, as usual, done in character. It would have been nice to have finally seen these guys switched off for a few minutes, though you never want to tamper with a franchise’s illusion. Plus: commentary with director Mike Clattenburg, music video.