# MacGruber currently at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. How could this movie possibly be any good? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 17, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782 "2010-05-17T17:03:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782/21 "2010-05-18T16:50:05Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > I’m looking forward to seeing it. I thought the Macgruber sketches were some of the funniest sketches of recent years, and they’ve got Jorma Taccone helping with the writing. Jorma’s directing it, too. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782/22 "2010-05-18T17:24:54Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > It’s going to work for some people. My wife thinks the trailer is hilarious, while I never laughed once at it. The (unrated) trailer I saw was heavy on unfunny gay jokes; oddly enough, I haven’t been able to find the same trailer on-line. It looked like the least funny movie of all time, but maybe they were just trying to lower my expectations… ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782/23 "2010-05-18T17:28:53Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > The (unrated) trailer I saw was heavy on unfunny gay jokes; oddly enough, I haven’t been able to find the same trailer on-line. It looked like the least funny movie of all time, but maybe they were just trying to lower my expectations… Someone didn’t see “Very Bad Things”. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782/24 "2010-05-18T20:17:20Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > Someone didn’t see “Very Bad Things”. > > -Joe Somehow that doesn’t sound like a recommendation. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782/25 "2010-05-18T20:28:32Z")
I think the rating may be artificially high at the moment because the small set of critics who have watched a screener and actually think it’s worth reviewing largely intersects with the set of those who spend their lunch hour huffing solvent fumes, but are untouchable because they’ve married into the editor’s family. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782/26 "2010-05-18T20:39:20Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > (Now the sequels sucked, but that’s because they were simply a shameless grab for money.) The first one wasn’t? ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2010, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782/27 "2010-05-18T21:13:06Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > You knew she had bad taste when she agreed to marry you. 🙂 Me aside, she usually has excellent taste. And for the most part, we have similar taste as well. But something either makes me laugh or it doesn’t. And there is no way I could possibly defend some of the things that have made me laugh hysterically, so I’m not going to pretend that I can arbitrate what is, or is not, supposed to be funny. That said, if there is nothing else playing, and I’ve seen everything else worth seeing, I’ll probably see this. I did enjoy the _Blues Brothers_ and _Wayne’s World_ in spite of not particularly caring for the original sketches. And I’ve seen great films with really awful trailers. But I think I’ll wait and see what the “At The Movies” critics say. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782/28 "2010-05-19T01:57:05Z")
I saw the trailer last night - and there’s nothing there to lead me to believe that this will be in any way good, but what the hell, I’ll still watch it. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782/29 "2010-05-19T04:21:31Z")
I haven’t watched SNL in decades so the first time I saw the trailer I had no idea it had anything to do with SNL, and I laughed at many scenes in the trailer. Then I found out it was a movie blown up from an SNL character/skit and so was supposed to automatically hate it, but the next time I saw the trailer, I still laughed. Damn. Promising myself I would do better next time at hating something I was supposed to hate, I took in the next preview with my arms folded and a scowl on my face. I tried, really I did, but when the trailer got to “You were wearing a bulletproof vest? Awesome!” I laughed again. I’m so ashamed. Obviously I have no taste in movies (or men) and should probably just kill myself, except for the fact that I’m REALLY looking forward to The Hobbit movies, so what’s a classless, tasteless girl to do? Sigh. I’ll try slapping and pinching myself next time I’m subjected to the trailer again. That’s the problem wiht seeing a lot of movies, you get to see the trailers over and over again. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782/30 "2010-05-19T04:22:01Z")
Yeah, I’ll probably see it, depending on the second wave of reviews. I have pretty lowbrow tastes in action comedies, and this might just hit the mark. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782/31 "2010-05-19T20:58:57Z")
> [@Tanbarkie](#): > > This is a classic example of how Rotten Tomatoes’s method of review aggregation fails. RT forces critics to divide their opinions into either “I liked it” (fresh) or “I didn’t like it” (rotten). As a result, you can end up with a movie that everyone _kind of_ likes (say, enough for a B grade) with a 100% perfect RT rating. > > You can get a sense of this if you scan the blurbs for “MacGruber.” Although everyone seems to enjoy the movie, it’s all guarded praise - “It exceeded its very low expectations,” or “It’s fun enough if you turn your brain off” type of comments. Rotten Tomatoes also assigns an “Average Rating,” although it’s not nearly as prominent as the Tomatometer score. MacGruber’s is currently **6.4/10** ; not terrible, but not stellar either. Also note that only one “top critic” is represented so far: the Hollywood Reporter’s John DeFore calls it “A jerry-rigged contraption whose rubber-bands-and-baking-soda construction is lucky to work once and then fall apart.” ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782/32 "2010-05-19T21:22:37Z")
Maybe it’s their full-frontal, full-on campaign to [go the full monty for publicity?](http://www.wwtdd.com/2010/05/macgruber-was-a-good-naked-model/) Totally NSFW. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782/33 "2010-05-20T04:25:18Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > I think the rating may be artificially high at the moment because the small set of critics who have watched a screener and actually think it’s worth reviewing largely intersects with the set of those who spend their lunch hour huffing solvent fumes, but are untouchable because they’ve married into the editor’s family. I don’t know about huffing solvent fumes, but you’re probably not that far off in saying that ratings at this point are artificially high. A lot of those critics are from no name movie blogs, the type of outfits that are probably inclined to give something a good review in order to remain in the good graces of the studios, and get good access at junkets of course. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782/34 "2010-05-21T22:51:34Z")
[Metacritic](http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/macgruber) has it at 46 right now. ---
**Author:** ![gladtobeblazed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@gladtobeblazed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gladtobeblazed)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782/35 "2010-05-22T00:27:16Z")
It’s currently only 56% (out of 59 reviews) with only 25% from the Top Critics (out of 12 reviews) so it doesn’t sound like it’s very good. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782/36 "2010-05-22T19:26:10Z")
_Poke Your Eyes Out With a Stick_ was sold out so I went to see MacGruber. It was mixed. Some parts were hysterical, and others had scenes that went, on, and on to the point of being uncomfortable. Apparently “I’ll suck your dick” is funny enough to be repeated again and again. On the other hand, it’s amazing what MacGruber can come with from a stick of celery. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782/37 "2010-05-22T19:29:03Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > _Poke Your Eyes Out With a Stick_ was sold out so I went to see MacGruber. It was mixed. Some parts were hysterical, and others had scenes that went, on, and on to the point of being uncomfortable. Apparently “I’ll suck your dick” is funny enough to be repeated again and again. On the other hand, it’s amazing what MacGruber can come with from a stick of celery. Who’s in “_Poke Your Eyes Out With a Stick_”? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782/38 "2010-05-22T20:00:00Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > Who’s in “_Poke Your Eyes Out With a Stick_”? 😉 Pauly Shore ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782/39 "2010-05-23T00:12:14Z")
Just got back from MacGruber. Had very low expectations, so I wasn’t surprised at how dumb it was. But there were moments that I laughed until my gut hurt. And since movies that can make me do that are priceless, I give it a thumbs up. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2010, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782/40 "2010-05-23T04:05:34Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > Pauly Shore If Yahoo Serious makes a cameo appearance, I will hunt down and kill the director. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/macgruber-currently-at-100-on-rotten-tomatoes-how-could-this-movie-possibly-be-any-good/539782.md?page=3)