Don’t Mess with Grandma
Don’t Mess with Grandma
Home invasion movies have become quite common now as a number of them have been released including The Strangers: Chapter One and Abigail released this year alone. However, lack of originality also necessitates inventiveness as filmmakers are compelled to think outside the box to add uniqueness to their films. Unfortunately, this is the only thing Jason Krawczyk (He Never Died): Director of “Don’t Mess with Grandma” does well in this film The unfortunately titled “Don’t Mess With Grandma”: a tongue in cheek bloody satire of the graphs involving home invasion genre.
Jasper (Michael Jai White) works as a meal delivery driver for Trusted Trays which is a service targeting elderly clients, in addition, Jasper travels each night around two hours from his home to help his pesky and elderly grandmother Granna (Jackie Richardson). Granna suffers a home invasion when a clumsy gang of robbers wat led by Stan who is played by Billy Zane breaks into her home, Thanks to Jakai Taiyo Freeman who was killing time at an unfinished movie idea. What these robbers don’t understand is that Jasper is a trained marksman and has won several medals and trophies, which allows him to guard Granna by any means possible- even if it meant going to work extra hours!
Krawczyk, scripter and director, flips the script by replacing the horror of the invasion with over-the-top cartoon violence that features a very willing White who is just as good a comic actor as a karate expert, but of course that should not be surprising to anyone who has seen Black Dynamite. The same cannot be said for suspense, there is not one single moment where the intruders have the best of the conflict. This is a greater burden on Krawczyk as a comedic director of which there are many kinks throughout the film. A small indication of a mystery is why the burglars in question singled Granna out, but it remains just that: small.
As a result, the audience’s sole criteria for judging the film is its features as a comedy, and this film easily passes the mark. The witty exchanges with Stan’s cohorts who give as much quips with guns as they do with regard to gunplay are funny to say the least. The Bushwhackers’ lot has been defunct ever since the debut of the Home Alone franchise, and the film benefits greatly from the two waving adieu to goggles as they unsuccessfully try to gain entry into Granna’s house ( Jaspers tosses people out of windows and off doors throughout the movie and it is hilarious).
Knowing where Billy Zane fits into the picture makes it markedly unusual that Krawczyk gives each member of his crew their time to glorify. That in itself is unfortunate because attention shifts from Zane towards the rest of the cast. However, Zane who for most of the film has variety of toilet rolls stuck to his reshaped bum cheek is a horde of laughter like White.
Yet it is White who remains in the lead, and it is hard not to think about how skilled he is, and how the industry has squandered his talent for ages when watching Grandma. Krawczyk’s screenplay at times does the actor a disservice as Jasper is talking to himself a lot, the only purpose being inviting the viewers, but this is great, as White is such a charismatic actor that he does manage to pull off even the cringe inducing dialogues once in a while.
Not to mention Rufus, Granna’s pooch who first dislikes Jasper, but as time goes by and the events unfold, ends up helping Jasper shake off the thieves. This bond, rather than between Jasper and Granna, is more unexpected, and ends up being the most important relationship in the movie.
Don’t Mess With Grandma is yet another good offering from the now quite familiar Tubi, a streamer that is quite catching up in the low budget, niche films that are better than their cost suggests is possible. Aimed at showing emotions, Diana’s hilariously awkward moments, lots of fighting, Krawczyk has satisfied the need of making a people-centered entertainment and with heavy doses of humor, it is bound to be a hit.
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- Genre: Action, Comedy, Thriller
- Country: United States
- Director: Jason Krawczyk
- Cast: Michael Jai White, Jackie Richardson, Billy Zane
