There is nothing like a well-done, raunchy comedy. Cringing at characters doing things your mother would never approve of, laughing at jokes you know you shouldn’t, and squirming at gross out moments can be some of the best times to be had at a movie. Which isn’t to say this is something that is always done well. Strays, for example, attempted this, but its premise of anthropomorphic dogs dropping F-bombs fell flat 15 minutes in. Dicks: The Musical, however, goes all-in on its excess with no apologies which amounts to a level of obscenity and hilarity rarely seen even if it does take a bit to buy in to its brand of humor.
Craig (Josh Sharp) and Trevor (Aaron Jackson) are, well, dicks. They constantly brag about their sexual prowess, how manly they are, and just how great the world is since they are in it. Their egos collide when they meet for the first time when the businesses they work for merge, setting up an unfriendly rivalry between the two. This quickly changes once they realize they are “identical” twins separated at birth, and the two join forces to create the family they never had. To accomplish this, they plan to reunite their estranged parents Harris (Nathan Lane) and Evelyn (Megan Mullally) in the hopes this will rekindle their love which would lead to the happy ending they think they deserve.
Yes, this is simply a remake of The Parent Trap, and it doesn’t hide that. The biggest differences are the breaking out into song, the constant streams of profanity and sexual innuendo, and the occasional nudity. In fact, it’s so dirty, I’m surprised this didn’t get slapped with an NC-17 rating. Orgazmo received one, and it is tame compared to this.
Of course, the biggest question is, “is it funny,” and for the most part, very much so. But it would be dishonest to say that the first 15-20 minutes aren’t a bit rough. It’s obvious they are having fun with the content and freedom to say and do what they want, but it walks a fine line to becoming just another cliched film that thinks it’s clever when it really isn’t. After the opening act, it’s like they realized this, and the film takes off. I rarely actually laugh out loud in the theater, but this one constantly had me in stitches, and there were a few times I had to stop and remember how to breathe.
Which brings me to my next quibble – the main characters. Craig and Trevor are nowhere near as engaging or interesting as they could have been and are annoying when on screen for too long, which is why it was a wise decision to not make them the stars of the show. Sure, the story generally revolves around them, but it’s Nathan Lane and Megan Mullally who really shine and make this a gem. Watching them chew through scenery, say some of the most foul and hilarious things you’ve ever heard, and sing utterly ridiculous songs is what makes this worth watching.
Oh, and Bowen Yang is absolutely divine (pun intended) as God and is the subject of one of the most offensive songs ever written.
Look, this isn’t a “good” film by any stretch of the imagination. It takes a while to find its legs, the main characters are grating, and I can’t say I have more than a handful of songs stuck in my head, but once this roller coaster gets going and Lane and Mullally take center stage, it’s a riot. Dicks: The Musical combines the humor and writing of Trey Parker and Matt Stone of South Park fame with John Waters’ level of filth, and delivers a movie that any one of them would have been proud to have worked on and probably a bit jealous that they didn’t.