Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		1.5

Dirty Grandpa Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman May 18, 2016

Was Robert De Niro seriously underpaid in his early career? This now iconic, even legendary, actor, perceived as certainly one of the finest of his generation if not the finest, has a filmography that has so many classic films in it it’s almost an embarrassment of riches. Mean Streets. The Godfather: Part II. Taxi Driver. The Deer Hunter. Raging Bull. GoodFellas. And that’s just through 1990, though truth be told starting with that tempestuous decade, the quality of De Niro’s projects started taking at least a noticeable decline which some curmudgeons may aver has reached precipitous levels by this second decade of the 21st century. Looking at De Niro’s oeuvre in the post-1990 timeframe can turn up a number of interesting, maybe even great (or at least pretty good), films, but most objective analysts would probably agree that De Niro seems to be into paycheck accrual more than quality offerings or even substantially challenging acting opportunities at this point. Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. The Fan. Meet the Fockers. Last Vegas. Hardly a list to equal the first one, at least by most folks’ estimation, but even the questionable blandishments of the foregoing “lesser” De Niro offerings will seem like a banquet of cinematic superiority when thrust up against the horrifying blandness that is Dirty Grandpa, a film that is certainly at, or at least near, the nadir of De Niro’s output.

It’s perhaps indicative of the desperation Lionsgate must have felt with this Blu-ray release that they hired some unfortunate marketing guru to package the review screener with a bunch of supposedly hilarious swag. The disc came in an “evidence bag” also containing a postcard with some cocktail recipes, a bikini top and a prescription bottle of breath mints masquerading as “Dick’s Little Helpers”. I’m really sorry to crush the dreams of whatever PR maven came up with these ideas, but aside from the drink menus, which could in fact come in handy for those wanting to view the film in an “altered” state, it’s all for naught, at least in terms of distracting from the inarguable fact that Dirty Grandpa is for all intents and purposes a waste of time.

It’s not even necessary for me to provide a plot summary, since Dirty Grandpa’s screenplay is so by the numbers. Instead, I’ll simply trot out another menu of sorts, one simply featuring the cliché ridden ingredients Dirty Grandpa mixes together in a completely rote manner. There is the somewhat estranged grandfather, Dick (Robert De Niro), and grandson, Jason (Zac Efron), who take a road trip together after the death of Dick’s wife. Along the way they have a serious of “hilarious” adventures, while Jason deals with a harridan fiancée named Meredith (Julianne Hough). Dick and Jason ultimately team up with two women named Lenore (Aubrey Plaza) and Shadia (Zoey Deutch), though a continuing Odd Couple ambience, with Jason as an uptight “Felix” and Dick the loosey goosey “Oscar”, continues to provide supposed comedic dividends.

Anyone with half a brain (which some curmudgeons may argue is half a brain more than the film’s screenwriter) will know exactly where this is going and pretty much exactly how it’s going to get there. The sad thing, or maybe the saddest thing, is how relentlessly unfunny Dirty Grandpa is. Even a completely predictable road film can offer significant humor if it’s handled correctly (Midnight Run, ironically enough), but Dirty Grandpa simply trades on what is becoming the increasingly tenuous star power of Robert De Niro.

Dirty Grandpa Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Dirty Grandpa is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.40:1. Shot digitally with the Arri Alexa XT Plus, Dirty Grandpa benefits from its sunny locations, where bright lighting conditions and some good use of vivid splashes of color delivers an appealing and natural looking palette. Detail is commendable in midrange and close-up shots, but some wider shots look a little hazy and/or murky at times, notably some of the busy party scenes around pools or even the initial scene in the church where the funeral takes place. There are no compression issues marring the presentation, and likewise no issues with image instability.

Dirty Grandpa Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Dirty Grandpa's lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix gets the requisite workout and good surround opportunities when any of the ubiquitous source cues are playing. There are also the expected noisy party scenes where immersion is well handled, though occasionally prioritization struggles to deliver dialogue cleanly (not that that's necessarily a bad thing, given the dialogue). Fidelity is fine and dynamic range appealingly wide on this problem free track.

Dirty Grandpa Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Filthy Filmmakers Who Have No Shame Audio Commentary


• Gag Reel (1080p; 1:39)


• The Filthy Truth: The Making of Dirty Grandpa (1080p; 9:50) is the requisite EPK.


• Lessons in Seduction (1080p; 3:13) concentrates on the character of Lenore and her romantic inclinations.


• Daytona Heat (1080p; 3:47) shows what Reno 911 might have been like if it wasn't funny.


• I Got Nothin' to Hide: A Look at Daytona's Most Vibrant Drug Dealer (1080p; 5:58) focuses on the character of Pam.

Dirty Grandpa Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Maybe the marketing guru who put together that evidence bag for prospective reviewers could have included plot points instead, with a challenge to see if they could be arranged in a more original way than Dirty Grandpa arranges them. This is a completely predictable film, but even worse, it's simply not very funny. Technical merits are generally strong for those considering a purchase.