This movie was hilarious, probably the funniest movie at Sundance this year. Its a must see for any fan of the show. But you don't have to have seen the show to enjoy it since the plot is basically the same as the show's. In it, Geri heads back to high school in order to save her father who is trapped in a coma. The principal cast from the show is all here and they're all wonderful, especially Principal Blackman, who in my opinion is the best part of the movie. Stephen Colbert is brilliant as always, and Amy Sedaris' portrayal of Geri is always amazing to see (especially if you've ever seen her without the make-up on). All in all, funniest movie I've seen since Shaun of the Dead. See it, seriously.

This was a pretty wacky movie - very unusual and unlike anything I've seen before.

This movie has fairly basic plot: a recently released 40+ year old lady wants to help bring her father out of a coma, so she embarks on the task of bettering herself by going back to high school and excelling. If it doesn't make sense, that's OK - it's nothing compared to the characters.

What makes this movie so unusual are the characters - the lead character (Amy Sedaris), the principal, the parents, etc. They are so strangely conceived and acted that it's really wild to watch. I guess that means that the actors and director did a pretty good job.

I can't say this movie was funny. Rather, it was amusing because of the extreme nature of characters. It was interesting to watch just to see what they were going to say next.

If you're in the mood for something really strange - check this out. You'll know after the first 10 minutes if this is something that's going to interest you.

What remains remarkable in the translation from Comedy Central TV show to mainstream feature film is Amy Sedaris' complete lack of vanity in replaying her comic alter-ego, the aptly named Jerri Blank, a 47-year old ex-con who decides to return home after a lengthy prison term and finish high school. The original concept for the three-season cult series was a fun idea full of possibilities, satirizing the high-minded seriousness of the ABC Afternoon Specials in the 1970's by having the hapless Jerri learn some significant life lesson after going through some humiliating situation. Probably a disappointment to dedicated fans of the show, the 2006 movie is really no different except the paper-thin plot feels dragged out to its eighty-minute length (wisely cut from its 97-minute length in theaters). It has the additional burden of feeling repetitive of the series without providing much more in the way of texture or complexity.

Director Paul Dinello (who plays effete art teacher Geoffrey Jellineck), along with co-writers Sedaris and Stephen Colbert (who plays closeted science teacher Chuck Noblet), uses the opportunity to fill in a bit of Jerri's back story in coming back to the family home and dealing with her father's comatose state. According to kindly Dr. Putney, the only cure lies with Jerri's efforts to do her father proud by winning the school science fair. Of course, the easily misdirected Jerri wants to be part of the in-crowd, in particular, getting horizontal with Brason, the school's hunky squat-and-thrust champion. This consequently means turning her back on her science project team, the Fig Neutrons, which includes Tammi, Jerri's best friend and object of Sapphic desire, and Megawatti, the Indonesian geek who has an unexplainable crush on Jerri. Lots of hijinks ensue until the inevitable conclusion, including the insertion of several star cameos - Allison Janney and Philip Seymour Hoffman as bickering school board members, Sarah Jessica Parker as self-absorbed grief counselor Peggy Callas, Ian Holm as Dr. Putney, Dan Hedaya as Jerri's comatose father; and Kristen Johnston as a wheelchair-bound coach. Matthew Broderick actually has a bigger role as Noblet's adversary, the preening Roger Beekman.

Much of the TV series cast is here as well with Colbert the standout as the blustery, uptight Chuck who secretly yearns for Geoffrey, who spurns him to be Roger's idea man. For most of the time, it is fitfully funny if only because the scabrous screenplay takes no prisoners in its approach. Consider this the comic flipside to "Sherrybaby" with plenty of familiar elements from "Carrie" and "Napoleon Dynamite" thrown in for good measure. But most of all, it is a tribute to Sedaris' Borat-like transformative skills as a comic actress. The 2006 DVD has a commentary track by Sedaris, Colbert and Dinello, and although they are obviously having a good time together, much of that rapport surprisingly does not translate well for the viewer. There are eighteen minutes worth of deleted scenes, most understandably excised though interestingly, it looks like Parker's counselor was the chief victim of the cuts. Also included are the theatrical trailer (another case of a promising trailer that's a lot funnier than the movie itself) and a music video for Delano Grove's "Atomic Car".

I saw the Strangers With Candy movie yesterday at a free screening. I'm a huge fan of the show (I own all 3 seasons on DVD) and I couldn't believe my luck at having been given a pass. For the most part, t.v. shows don't translate well on the big screen and it pains me to say that Strangers with Candy the movie is no exception to this rule.

Basically, the film is a re-hashing of the same gags and jokes true fans know and love (and will unmistakably remember) from the t.v. show. This lame regurgitation simply didn't work, and it was evident through the acting that the actors themselves felt uncomfortable reciting the same material.

A side note: At the risk of sound like a total obsessive nerd and the equivalent of SWC "trekkie"....why the hell did they change Derrick??? and the Flatpoint campus (not to mention its new location directly across from the Blank residence!) And this Megawatti person is such a lame substitution for Orlando!

This is not to say that the film didn't have it's funny moments--it did have it's fair share. The opening prison montage was especially funny and memorable. Stephen Colbert was hilarious in every scene, and Amy delivered as usual.

I just got back from Sundance and i just wanted to say how amazing of a movie Strangers With Candy was! I flew all the way from Detroit to see it and boy was it great. I got to talk to Paul, Steve, and Amy... as well as Jeff Daniels, and they are some funny people. The movie was so funny. I can't think of anything bad to say about it. Go Steve and Paul, you guys are so talented people. Paul and Steve by the way were some incredibly nice guys. I waited in line for this movie for six and a half hours just to get inside. The movie was completely driven by Colbert's Oscar worthy performance and Dinello did a fantastic job putting it all together. I hope this movie gets distributed so everyone can enjoy it.

If you are a fan of the series, then you will love this "interim" film.

The film covers the events that lead up to the television series, from Geri's parole, reunion with stepmom and dad, and heading back to high school. All of the regular characters are back (except Orlando, who would have been a good addition and better character than the new token non-white character). There are some great lines ("I'm not pushing you away, I'm just drawing me into myself") and fine interactions between Sedaris, Colbert, and Dinello.

This sold out at the Seattle International Film Festival (with a nice appearance from Dinello), and the audience was rolling the entire time. Great work and a must-see for any Geri Blank/Amy Sedaris fan.

The movie is great, for what it is. I am a loyal fan of the show and the cast and they did a good job of making a movie version of the series. However, it is important to note that this process is very difficult and the movie appears to be more of a long episode of the show. Nevertheless, it is enjoyable, with jokes that are easily accessible to those who have a clue about the world, and makes fun of those who do not. Paul Dinello, Stephen Colbert, Amy Sedaris...all brilliant. Ms. Sedaris, a slight, cute woman in reality is vulgar and wonderfully crude. Stephen Colbert does a great job of being the born again Christian teacher (note the table of elements in the background of his classroom-it's in the shape of a cross!). And Paul Dinello is a reliable, humorous counterpart to Mr. Colbert once again. Parodying society in a parallel universe of a twisted after school special, it is wonderfully enjoyable.

Anybody in search of sophisticated comedy should avoid this movie like the plague. However, if you're a fan of blue comedy and belly laughs,"Strangers with Candy" is the one for you. The film like the short lived Comedy Central series is filled with cynical takes on adolescence, high school, family life and sex.If you're a fan of the show, the first glimpse of Jerri's hideous face will give you a serious case of the giggles immediately. She's the ultimate outsider, a real troll who says what the rest of us were afraid to say to the A-list kids in high school. The scene of Jerri's revenge on a student attempting to leave a "gift" in her locker will elicit laughter and some vicarious pleasure from all those who ever suffered the torments of bullies. Even when people try to victimize Jerri, they take a chance of being dragged down to her level of depravity, an irony not lost on fans. "Strangers with Candy" is a wacky look at a time in life that most of us would prefer to forget but the humor ranging from the elliptical to the scatological will make high school a lot more fun this time around. I haven't been in a theater with that much laughter since I saw "Animal House" in 1978. The ninety minute length of the film keeps the gags from getting stale.

Jerri Blank (Amy Sedaris) is a 46 year old awkward ex-con junkie prostitute. She is let out of prison and returns home to find her father in a coma with a younger wife (Deborah Rush). She decides to go back to school and take a different path so that her father can wake up from his coma. The school is filled with wacky teachers and mean girls led by Monica (Elisabeth Harnois). She's hot for Monica's boyfriend Brason (Chris Pratt). She takes Tammi Littlenut (Maria Thayer) under her chicken wing and befriends loser Megawatti Sucarnaputri. Teacher Chuck Noblet (Stephen Colbert) breaks up with Geoffrey Jellineck (Paul Dinello) and faces a challenge from Roger Beekman (Matthew Broderick) for the science fair.

This is a prequel to the cult TV show 5 years after it went off the air. It's ridiculous, insane and stupid. Amy Sedaris is gloriously ridiculous. The movie does wear thin after awhile. It extends the half-hour format a little too far but it's still a great watch for fans of the TV show.

This movie had very funny moments and the whole idea of a life first suspended -- for thirty-two years -- and then resumed exactly where it was left off promises great exhilaration. The plot is simple but cleverly executed with straightforward wit and healthy irony at the expense of much 'high-school' culture examined in a provocative way to repeat what many know (that racism is perniciously persistent in American education) but seldom face. Though far different in scope and much more ambitious, Crash comes to my mind as a term of comparison for the racism issue, but Strangers with Candy is neither as subtle nor as successful as Crash in making the audience confront their own denial about what racism is and how it manifests itself. Strangers with Candy is a truly funny movie with a somewhat serious message that never spoils the fun. I admit that in some moments I felt uncomfortable with the behaviors of some of the characters in relation to race; yet I do recognize that this is just a movie and reality is a lot uglier than any fantasy. But viewers should resist the notion that the movie is merely supposed to be funny. The plot and the purposefully unsubtle dialog inevitably should make one think of race and racism. I hope viewers will recognize that.

I cannot believe all the positive comments about this film. This was the absolute WORST film I saw at Sundance this year, Midnight movie or otherwise, and yet was one of the most well-attended and sought after. I LOVED the TV show and own all three seasons on DVD, I even waited three hours in a wait list line to see the movie, so I am no "SWC" hater, mind you. The question "What happened?" instantly came across my mind as the creepy looking maggot-ridden closing credits rolled. This is a terrible waste of potential and talent. The racy and surreal content that the TV show presented so well is delivered ham-fisted and is hackneyed here. Amy Sedris is brilliant and is really the only thing worth watching in this nearly unwatchable mess, even if she has literally no new material to work with. Literally every single joke or visual gag is lifted entirely from the TV show (such as just about every single line of Jerri's dialog and since WHEN does Jerri live across the street from the school?!) and are executed grotesquely, rendering the effect of the film as somewhere between nausea inducing and boring. Story lines are completely altered from the TV show's for no reason (since when is Noblet a SCIENCE teacher...he was a HISTORY teacher in the show, the obnoxiously good-hearted "ethnic" friend is completely altered, etc). I thought this was supposed to be a "prequel," but comes off more like a remake of the whole premise (a la "Evil Dead 2," only as a prequel and without the brilliance). All of the celebrity cameos are unnecessary and completely unfunny (esp. Justin Theroux, Ian Holm and Philip Seymore Hoffman, who are usually wonderful in just about ANYTHING else). One of the TV show's best qualities, the cinematography, is a complete joke here (one of the only actually funny ones), but might be altered later on as it gets ready to be distributed later this year. The direction by Paul Dinello is horrendous and clearly comes from inexperience or just being a pessimist (playing Jellineck is really his only talent, it seems, besides coming off as really creepy both on screen and real life). The actors playing high school students actually are young enough to be high school students, unlike the TV show, but you'll be yearning for actors who can actually ACT within minutes. The effect of seeing actual 14 to 17 year olds against Jerri actually makes the film feel dirty and sad when it should really feel joyously funny and ironically satiric. The fabulous satiric, ironic, almost post-apocalyptic tone if the TV show is rendered to just plain disturbing and unconvincingly blasé here. The whole final product feels old hand and lame. The dingy new school location which looks about 150 years old doesn't help things much either. The movie's storyline is not even worth mentioning...let alone caring about. I remember when the whole premise was all about making fun of after school shows. Sadly, the movie actually looks and feels like an actual one. Thanks to this train wreck of a film, the joke is really on this usually wonderful comic trio. I know Warner Bros will be distributing it this summer, but it's nothing really to look forward to, even if you liked the TV show. Don't believe any positive reviews. You'll thank me later. Stick to your TV show DVDs. This film will only soil your memories of the original show's consistent brilliance. 2/10.

I wasn't sure I was going to like this film, probably because of the ugly grimace on Amy Sedaris' face but due to a power outage in my town I had to go to the theater to keep cool and this, I thought, was the least offensive film playing on that day.

I was completely shocked at how smart and funny it was. Of course I knew Stephen Colbert was going to be great (and he was) and I do like Amy Sedaris but I was not prepared for how simply fabulous this film was.

The film is chock full of smart and not so smart gags that will leave you howling. The theater was full when I went and everyone was laughing loudly throughout the film.

One warning, if your sense of humor is middle of the road or if you like your humor "safe", you probably won't like this. It constantly takes chances, pushing every button and never lets up. If you're ready for a wild ride of truly riotous hilarity, this one is for you.

I really can't remember when I've ever seen a funnier film.

"Strangers with Candy" is basically a prequel to the television series. It tells the story of Jerri Blank (Amy Sedaris) the 46 year-old ex-junkie, ex-con who returns to high school to pick up right where she left off. During this she has to deal with her crazy science teacher Chuck Noblet (Stephen Colbert), the eccentric art teacher Geoffrey Jellineck (Paul Dinello) and Principal Blackman (Greg Holliman). On top of this she tries to fit which is hard to do but makes friends with Megawatti (Carlo Alban) & Tammi (Maria Thayer). Her friends and her enter a science fair and want to win so that Jerri's father (Dan Hedaya) can be proud and maybe awake from his coma.

Amy Sedaris is Jerri Blank. She play's the ex junkie/prostitute very well. I love the character in general because it's such a unique and weird character that hasn't been done before. My all time favorite character in the film and on the TV series is Geoffrey Jellineck played by Paul Dinello who is also the director of the film. The whole gay art teacher thing to me is very highly amusing and I love how upbeat his character is. It's without a doubt my favorite character on the show but isn't used enough in the movie. Also Stephen Colbert plays Chuck Noblet who is my second favorite character. What I like most about this character is that he is basically borderline insane and just yells and gets upset for no real reason. He also hides that he prefers men to woman even though he is married to a woman. Chuck is a very funny and interesting character. Moving on, it was good to see Greg Holliman back as Principal Blackman and Maria Thayer who plays Tammi Littlenut. Both where very essential characters to the original series and it was nice to see they brought them back for the film along with some of the other characters including Jerri's Mother (Deborah Rush), her mother's boyfriend Stew (David Pasquesi) and a few others.

However what I didn't like was the fact that they changed the dad and Orlando from the original series and in fact Orlando was left out completely. Instead we had Megawatti Sukharnabhoutri played by Carlo Alban who was like a cheap rip-off of Orlando. I didn't find this character very affective but it was OK. Also I would have to say they should have stuck with the original dad. I heard he wasn't an actor but Dan Hedaya didn't say really anything in this movie and didn't really act so I think they should have stuck with the original cast and if they couldn't get the original cast then leave the characters out. I would have rather of done without Orlando instead of dealing with some replacement with a different name but was pretty much the same character. Also the movie had a lot of special appearances by various celebrities including Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Ian Holm, and Philip Seymour Hoffman however each character was a pretty pointless.

The same three people who wrote the script for the television series wrote the script for the film and those are the three main cast members Amy Sedaris, Paul Dinello, and Steven Colbert. What I didn't like about the script was the fact that it was basically a tame version of the television show. This was their chance to make these crazy characters do wacky things that they could never get away with on TV. As far as the TV series vs. the movie itself well the TV series is much more edgy, creative and bold. The script had too much of the original episodes written in and when it came to adding new content most of the new content didn't work like the whole science fair thing. That didn't really work for me. Or Matthew Broderick's character, he was a total waste of time. Don't get me wrong some of the script was good but as since it was a TV series first the writing on the series was a lot better and raw. The movie will most likely get an R rating so why not be bold and do things with the characters that Comedy Central won't allow on the air. Also another big complaint is the fact that script didn't have enough of Mr. Jellineck and Mr. Noblet. I really enjoy those characters but they didn't play that big of role and I think they should have been involved more. Like I said I love the characters in the film for the most part, the original characters are fun and quite enjoyable however most new characters were rather dull and pointless. The movie needed to have more conflict then it did, the plot was based too much on this science fair and that didn't go over well. Also some jokes didn't work which is odd since most jokes on the series always work very well maybe it's because most are rehashed from the TV series.

In Conclusion, I liked the "Strangers with Candy" however I think the television show was better because it had better writing, better jokes, and was bolder and took chances. "Strangers with Candy" the movie was a bit disappointing because I am such a huge fan of the series and it's wasn't bold enough and I thought in general the film held back to much. I really wanted to give this film a 9 out of 10 and I am dead serious that is how high my hopes were for the film. However, the movie isn't that great but the movie is still definitely worth seeing and since it isn't out till fall, I am sure some issues will be corrected. I would recommend it; it's worth the price alone for the wacky characters.

MovieManMenzel's final rating for the "Strangers With Candy" is a 7 out of 10. Not as good as the television series but definitely still worth looking at.

I like the series, I think it's hilarious. This movie takes the plot of a 1/2 hour TV show and stretches it to 90 minutes, making it VERY bland. They could have done a lot better with the whole thing. While it has a few laughs, it does not compare to the series as a whole. The jokes are so few and far between that the audience is itching for them when they come. It's really sad, this had a lot of potential. Even Stephen Colbert didn't seem to want to do a very good job with it. His character wasn't as biting or sarcastic as usual. I guess this could be considered as a prequel to the series because it tells the story maybe a week before the series starts, but it's nothing that couldn't have been picked up just watching the show. Totally unnecessary, not worth the drive all the way across town to the one theater that was showing it. The best thing about this stinker was seeing the trailer for John Cameron Mitchell's new movie!

After months of anticipation, SWC Movie finally delivers the same hilarious misadventures of Jerri Blank and co, as did the TV series. The re-workings of the original plot and cast for the big screen often enriched the viewing excitement and gave me, as a huge fan of the t.v show, some pleasant surprises such as some new faces. The audience of the screening I attended went wild at the debuts of the original cast and despite missing "Orlando", Jeri's new Indonisian side kick gave her a beautiful scene segue into the genius science fair dance-show spectacular. Amy Sedaris has created a legend, and I haven't laughed so hard since the first time I ever saw the t.v show. (spoiler), The pot smoking freak out was hilarious, and the prison montage was exactly what I wanted to see. I hope the addition of S.J. parker and ilk entice a new audience to the film and DVD collection. Paul Dinnello did a great job of keeping the cast true to form, and the plot absurd enough to remind us of the after school specials that one hopes the beginnings of the series took root. Steven Colbert brought his usual charm and ridiculous send ups of closeted school teacher and ran with it. This movie was so entertaining. I hope we haven't seen the last of this incredibly creative team.

This movie failed for me on a major level. I love the TV show, and was looking forward to seeing this flick. But it was no good. If you are going to have a crazy character like Gerri, the REST of the characters in the school need to be very normal! The reason why Gerri is funny on the TV show is because she's acting like a lunatic while the rest of society are being mostly normal. The writers and directors made the unfortunate choice of having every single actor ham it up, and instead of having believable scenes, I felt stuck in a burdensome, long SNL skit that refused to end. Comedy is mixing the real with the strange. None of the things that took place in that high school looked remotely like anything anybody has experienced in a school. I'll repeat - for something like that to be funny, the rest has to be played straight. The plot is completely absurd and unfunny - yet the movie spends a maddeningly long amount of time nursing and building it. Everyone associated with this movie should be ashamed of this product.

The show Strangers With Candy was a dark and a comical slice of viewing, where Jerri, a 46 year old ex drug addict, released from prison returns to high school to re start her life. Now with the show finished, Strangers With Candy returns to Jerri's first day of school. Her father currently in a coma, Jerri thinks if she does well at school, joining the science project team, he will awaken from his slumber.

The movie Strangers With Candy is basically made for the fans of the show. Writers and actors of the show; Amy Sedaris, Stephen Colbert and Paul Dinello, retain the same strange and unique style of comedy that made the show such a stand out. Jerri's constant sexual appetite, Chuck and Geoffrey's sexual tension and commitment problems. Strangers With Candy works as well as it does with the main cast members returning into their roles; minus Larc Spies who played Derrick in the show, Joseph Cross taking his place here.

There is a rocky start to the film. Jokes aren't that strong, they're few and apart and lack the bite. Sedaris, Dinello and Colbert seemed to cautious stretching what basically could have been a thirty minute episode to feature length. After a few light steps, once Jerri returns to the school setting, they settle back into their comfort zone, letting the subversive comedy crawl out, and the randomness of the show.

While the original cast return and know their parts exceedingly well, Sedaris mixes disgusting habits and empathy in Jerri. Greg Hollimon self centered Principal Blackman and Deborah Rush disheartening Sara Blank. Paul Dinello as Geofrrey with his child mentality, steals every scene with Stephen Colbert as science teacher Chuck. Colbert is the most impressive of the entire cast. But this also boast one very strong cast of cameos; Philip Seymour Hoffman, Allison Janney, Justin Theroux, Matthew Broderick, Ian Holm, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kristen Johnston are amazing and take their roles head on with a serious attitude. Philip Seymour Hoffman is nicely pathetic as member of the staff board, and Justin Theroux eccentric shot as the driving instructor.

While Stangers With Candy is just a notch short of the show, it is compulsive viewing for any fan.

The movie is a prequel but also re-imagining of some of the scenarios of the TV series. Anyone who wants exactly the TV series or a "normal" comedy will be disappointed.

Amy Sedaris is the funniest broad since Gilda Radner. She can do amazing things with her face and eyes and voice. The opening sequence in the prison is iconic--what a montage.

The rest of the film is very funny with some repetitive gags slightly wearing, but it really is an extended TV show re-constructed for a little variety. Mr Noblet is now a science teacher and some of the cast are different, but it did not deter from enjoying the movie for me.

The humor is anti-PC, the reworked soul song about Jerri is hilarious, the drug and sex references non-stop, the suburban roasting is nonstop.

The crowd I was with was very happy & I think this was a intellectual dumb comedy with some very funny sight gags.

I smell studio hackery here. Anyway, here is my review from March:

I saw a screening of this in Los Angeles (3-3-05), and it was not that good. It is not so much a sequel as it is a re imagining of the series. They seem to have dropped the premise of Strangers with Candy being a parody of after school specials, and made it a just another comedy. The whole cast is back, except the original brother, who is now played by another actor who is trying to imitate the original guy, and Jeri's friend Orlando has been replaced by a similar character.

Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker bring the proceedings to a screeching halt every time they appear on screen. The original members of the cast (Sedaris, Colbert, Rush) are great, but it just doesn't hang together. The spirit of the series is not here. That said, it certainly does have it's funny moments, such as a montage of Jeri's life in prison and on the streets. Other than that, it's just a pale copy of what the TV series was with recycled gags and many jokes that just don't work. I wonder why they even did this movie since the series finale was so great.

They did a focus group afterwords, which suggests that maybe the studio thinks the movie is in trouble.

If you have an expectation built on the TV show of the same name, than perhaps you won't enjoy this totally bizarre gem. Much of it is completely surreal, but then, much is not. School daze indeed. What a refreshing blast of weirdness compared to the torrent of "lower brow" schlock that Hollywood pumps out. If you went to high school in the 70s or 80s, the scenery is accurate. The idea of returning to school, or never really leaving, is the stuff of fear and loathing in so many people. A comedy spin on a shared formative societal experience is comedic genius. Politics, families that are light years away from what would be amusingly normal. A heaping of deadpan, bizarre characters, deranged conclusions. Amy is almost too funny for mass consumption.

Sweetheart Amy Sedaris plays appropriately named, Jerri Blank in the off the wall comedy about a 46 year old ex-drug addict, prostitute and loser who goes back to high school. She appears almost retarded but she is everything but. The Comedy Central series from 1999-2001 named the same title, was 30 episodes of the same genre. She offers crude, down right shocking remarks that you have to laugh about. She is passive bisexual and lude and lacks all graces of the typical middle aged female. Amy Sedaris is hilarious and her off the chart behavior in this movie should get your mind off any problems. If you are expecting a truly down to earth teen age comedy, you will be disappointed as it is everything but. It violates sensitive politically correct subjects from race to sex preferences to gross references to drug and sex addiction in a very comical way that you just can't find offensive. Stand back and take a different perspective when watching this movie and don't take it so seriously and you will enjoy it greatly. She is truly a talented comedian. Everyone has to love Amy Sedaris. Loves Amy Sedaris.

This is an awesome movie that serves as a prequel to the hilarious TV series! A 47-year old ex-con, ex-prostitute, and ex-drug addict named Jerri Blank returns home and finds her dad in a coma. She returns to school as a freshman. Jerri makes some friends like Megawatti Sucarnaputri and Tammi Littlenut. A science fair comes up and Principal Blackman wants to win, so he hires a genius. Chuck Noblet puts together his own team to win. Jerri gets high with the other team, and gives them their plans. Jerri is kicked off the team and tries to think of a way to make it all better. If you love comedy, and the TV show, you'll love STRANGERS WITH CANDY!!!

Kind of like a best of album for the show, all the best routines and gags are here. If you can get your hands on the series watch it, unlike Reno 911 were the movie is an extension of (and better than) the series, this is the entire series condensed ...(read more)to an hour and half. Though there's a lot of recycled material there's a fair amount of new jokes as well. In any event its still one of the funniest comedies in recent memory. Amy Sedaris is brilliant, and Stephen Colbert is great to watch here as well. My only real complaint is the dance sequence in the credits is kinda simple(the dance sequences at the end of each episode used to be one of the best parts of the show). Sans that, this was great.

"Hello, I'm Jerri Blank and - and I'm an alcoholic. I'm also addicted to amphetamines as well as main line narcotics. Some people say I have a sex addiction, but I think all those years of prostitution was just a means to feed my ravenous hunger for heroin. It's kinda like the chicken or the nugget. The point is, I'm addicted to gambling. Thank you."

"Strangers with Candy" (2005)

Directed By: Paul Dinello

Starring: Amy Sedaris, Greg Hollimon, Paul Dinello, Deborah Rush, Stephen Colbert, Dan Hedaya, Allison Janney, & Philip Seymour Hoffman

MPAA Rating: "R" (for sexual content, language and some drug material)

"Strangers with Candy" started out as a short-lived television series on Comedy Central. It lasted, I believe, for eleven episodes in 1999 before being cancelled. It told the story of a forty-six year old ex-drug addict who went back to high school. I never caught the series on television…and, obviously, I was not the only one. However, the people who did watch it loved it. It became an instant cult classic. I still haven't seen a single episode so, to be perfectly honest, I couldn't care less about seeing this movie. But, having heard great things about the series, I decided I would give it a chance. Now, I can honestly say that the plot is nothing special and really isn't that funny. What makes "Strangers with Candy" so wonderful is Amy Sedaris. Her performance makes the entire movie click. Watching Sedaris work makes this experience one that everyone should check out at some time or another. She allows the movie to transcend its rather typical plot to become a surprisingly funny comedy.

This movie is a prequel to the television series mentioned above (or, at least, that's what they tell me--I don't really know). Jerri Blank (Sedaris) is a middle-aged woman who has just been released from jail after being imprisoned on drug charges. When she gets home, she finds that her father, Guy (Hedaya), remarried, had a son, and happened to fall into a coma. Jerri decides that becoming "special" will help her dad recover so she returns to high school in hopes of excelling. Immediately, things go from bad to worse. She just cannot find a place in the vastly-different school system and seems to be making enemies left and right. The school, itself, is a blend of back-stabbing teenagers and careless, thoughtless administrators. What kind of grief counselor requests tips and a strict ten minute session limit, you ask? Well, the one working at this school does. But, Jerri hatches an ingenious plan (okay, as "ingenious" as one that Jerri could device) to take part in the school's science fair. Winning, she hopes, will be the perfect key to bring her dad back to her.

The performances in "Strangers with Candy" work quite well and, really, they make the movie what it is. Amy Sedaris gives one of the best comedic performances of the year, proving that she is Jerri Blank. There is no substitute. I found myself laughing every time she was on the screen (which was almost always). She just had an undeniable charm about her and is a true comic genius. Deborah Rush also does a nice job as Jerri's spiteful stepmother. She was great. Greg Hollimon, who plays Principal Blackman, aced the material, coming off as a satirical look at the educational system without appearing to be ridiculous or cheesy. He just worked. I really enjoyed his performance. Stephen Colbert, another comic genius (if I do say so myself), is hilarious as the flamboyantly gay teacher. Granted, the material given to him was just perfect, but he really owned the role and made it his own. On a special note, what was with Dan Hedaya? He was unconscious for almost the entire movie. Couldn't they get just some random actor to lie in a bed for an hour and a half? It just seemed a little strange to me.

On the downside of this movie, there were a few moments when I thought the plot kind of slacked. The plot itself wouldn't have worked had it not had been for the great cast. It was predictable, clichéd, and a little silly, but, because of such actors and actresses as Amy Sedaris, it worked well enough. This movie reminded me (oddly enough) of "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan". "Borat" also had a rather dull plot--okay, in all actuality, there was hardly a plot at all, but, because of Sacha Baron Cohen, the movie worked like a charm. This was also the case with "Napoleon Dynamite". Jon Heder, whether you die-hard fans will admit it or not, made that movie. Amy Sedaris did the same thing with "Strangers with Candy". Her wonderful performance made this movie a gem--forgotten by the general public (it only grossed a little over $2 million)--but a gem nonetheless.

Final Thought: "Strangers with Candy" has Amy Sedaris to thank for its effectiveness.

Overall Rating: 7/10 (B+)

Well, I bought my copy on DVD yesterday, after much searching none of the major chain stores had it, nor were going to get it, I finally found it at the music store, who initially thought they didn't have it as well but after much searching indeed it was there for a whopping 30 bucks but alas it was worth it to me as I am mega-fan of this show, to my surprise it was actually on sale for 20 so I was rather pleased. The movie had my laughing out loud insanely so, but if you are a major fan of the show you will be able to finish the sentences of the characters for a good bit of the movie. The plot is OK pretty predictable but there are so very very funny moments in the movie, I would recommend seeing it (could be the last time we see Amy in all her Jerri glory) Overall a good film, I would like to have seen more of the original cast members and I wish they would have pushed the envelope a little more since it was for the big screen, again watch it, it's worth a look you'll laugh a lot!!!!