“Idiots” follows Mark and Davis, two unqualified bozos whose straightforward gig to transfer a rich teenager named Sheridan to rehab spirals into dangerous mayhem.
The start of “Idiots” makes it very clear… that we’re dealing with a pair of idiots. Davis is fired by a pastor for taking church kids to an NR movie. Mark is also let go from his job because, well — he doesn’t do any work. Their reactions and actions immediately let the audience know that this is a “dumb comedy.” It features the immature humor of “Friendship” and the chaotic road trip spirit of “Driver’s Ed.”
“F-ck outta here with that nerd sh-t.”
It’s the type of humor that will have most people groaning. Constant drug use. Strippers. Explosive sharts. The list goes on. That may sound revolting for many, but writer-director Macon Blair pulls off the juvenile style. At the same time, the film sometimes pushes the attempted hilarity too far. This is done purposefully to teeter along comedic boundaries before changing the narrative completely into a sort of thriller hybrid.
Surprisingly, it’s once the childish jokes stop coming every second that the film loses steam. At first, it’s just stereotypical characters. Then, it becomes exaggerated plot points as well. To reach every over-the-top sequence, characters live up to the title label. Viewers will have to suspend disbelief as questionable decisions endlessly propel the story forward. It’s easy to say that the screenplay is lazy, but after all, Blair has a pretty good excuse, as the movie is literally named “Idiots.” Through these moments, the film falls into a rinse-and-repeat cycle. Mark and Davis’ main job is to transport Sheridan. Continuously finding and losing him, they encounter different dangerous scenarios at each stop. A funny thing eventually happens — which isn’t necessarily new in the genre: these “idiots” are actually needed. The result is a coming-of-age story for all of the characters.
As the narrative comes to a close, Blair attempts to add meaning to all of the nonsense. Exploring themes of redemption, addiction and classism, there are at least some takeaways to be had. Are these the focus of this story? Not at all. At the end of the day, it’s the characters’ puerility that remains at the center. Even when it seems like the comedic edge has gone missing, “Idiots” comes back with a hard-hitter to leave you laughing as the credits roll.
O’Shea Jackson Jr. (Davis) is straightforward in his delivery. It’s not a particularly memorable performance, but it’s serviceable for this specific character. While Dave Franco’s (Mark) work is more comedically focused, Jackson’s sincerity gives the film its emotional center. Franco is extreme, whether that’s acting high out of his mind or screaming at the top of his lungs. This is the second time Franco and Mason Thames’ (Sheridan) have acted alongside each other, after 2025’s “Regretting You.” Thames perfectly portrays the in-over-his-head rich kid. He’s not always saying a lot, but his smug facial expressions convey the character’s manipulative persona well. Also appearing are Kiernan Shipka (Irina), Nicholas Braun (Joe Thom Pell aka Pricka Bush Da Werewoof), Killer Mike (Pastor William Armstrong) and Peter Dinklage (Karl “Koko” Sandoz).
Director of photography Guillermo Garza utilizes slow zoom-ins and pans to bring motion to the environments. Shallow depth of field and varied lighting are also implemented to distinguish characters’ inebriated states. As “Idiots” transitions through its various subplots, Dane McMaster’s editing keeps the scenes flowing cohesively. In turn, the 99-minute runtime moves by quickly despite some of the inconsistencies within.
If you laugh from the title, you’ll likely laugh at the movie. “Idiots” embraces the idiocy of its premise, featuring performances that match the outrageous vibe.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
