Biggest Surprise Of 2008

January is usually when they release the dogs. Bad movies generally come out now because if they were any good, they'd have been out the previous year, or held for later.

That's why I was so surprised to see such a fine comedy last weekend, Trailer Park Boys: The Movie.

I'd never heard of the original Trailer Park Boys before, but apparently it's a Canadian series about Nova Scota trailer trash. The three main characters--small time crooks--are Ricky, the "brains" of the operation who can talk his way out of anything, Julian, who carries around a mixed drink at all times, and Bubbles, who lives with a bunch of cats in a shed (not even a trailer).

Not knowing about the show, I was impressed by how well-developed the characters and the world they inhabit are. The movie's plot is about the boys, having gotten out of jail, planning a "big dirty"--a major heist--so they can retire and get back to the simple things, like settling down and growing pot.

Perhaps it's not for everyone, but I recommend it. It's supposed to be opening wide today, but it's only playing in two small theatres in LA right now, so who knows what they mean by "wide."