‘Idiots’ Review – A Wild And Hilarious Drug-Infused Escapade

Synopsis: When two unqualified bozos are hired to transfer a rich teen to rehab, their straightforward gig quickly spirals into dangerous mayhem.

In the grand scheme of things, life is unfathomably short. That said, most of us choose to cherish. We cherish the people around us, the time we have while alive, and the planet that allows us to thrive, and we strive to be better people than we were the day before. While we’re all just doing our best, unfortunately, some would rather watch it all burn. We may not be able to change their ways or their minds, but like this movie, we can work together to ensure the misanthropic attitude doesn’t spread… by punching them in the face.

“You saw a dong and stayed for the rest of a movie?”

I know you’re ready for an exciting journey, but this may not be the odyssey you were looking for. However, within the first ten minutes, I promise, if you’re “about that life,” you’ll want to hop in the car and join this excursion. Written and directed by Macon Blair, Idiots is a wild and hilarious drug-infused escapade. This poop-covered chaotic event is a nonstop ride into the ridiculous and is nothing short of a good time. This is a millennial-coded lost-and-found road trip film that will eventually find itself in the same conversation with comedies such as Road Trip, Due Date, Superbad, Bulletproof, Midnight Run, and The Hangover, to name a few. With a great cast, insanely memorable moments, its unpredictability, and just enough depth, this is one of the best laugh-out-loud comedies of the year.

Originally titled Shitheads, this chaotic comedy is reminiscent of the comedies of the late 90s to mid-2000s: vulgar, charming, plot-driven, drugs or alcohol always somewhere in the mix. Beginning with immediate laughs, Blair’s writing sets the tone for the side-splitting absurdity to come. Additionally, the two lead characters, Davis (O’Shea Jackson Jr.) and Mark (Dave Franco), are mostly fleshed out early on, allowing the audience to sit back and watch as the two opposing personalities constantly clash and get manipulated by Sheridan (Mason Thames), their current problematic headache and job assignment.

They are to deliver the teenage troublemaker to rehab, but not only is he not going to make it easy for them, but the reason he’s going to rehab is more serious than just drugs. He’s also not your average neglected rich kid. One smirk, some snark, and a social media post can turn what is supposed to be an obstacle-free transport into a life-or-death situation. At first, the deviance is subtle, but once they reach the hotel, it descends into a complete shitshow, pun intended, and it only gets more unhinged from there. From answering to a boss who dabbles in everything from being a notary public to moving weight, to questioning one’s faith or lack thereof, Idiots combines introspection, the ridiculous, and even a little action in a completely unpredictable way.

“The kid’s a maniac. He’s famous for it.”

In between biting a midnight ballerina and avoiding the sight of someone’s werewolf, the film periodically contemplates why bad things happen to good people and why doing your best just isn’t good enough. By tapping into a common sentiment, it simultaneously puts miserable, entitled rich people in its crosshairs. It shames bad behavior while also acknowledging that, like life, regardless of consequences, some people learn absolutely nothing. It may not completely drive any particular message home, but sometimes the message doesn’t matter when the chaos is too entertaining.

The film is shot, directed, and edited well; the soundtrack fits a road trip movie perfectly, even if there was a missed opportunity to have It Was A Good Day by Ice Cube somewhere in there, and just wait until you hear Pricka Bush Da Werewoof rap. This is a funny and exhilarating experience and should be viewed with as many friends as possible. Its rewatchability is high.

Pace & Pop

The film’s pacing isn’t typical of your common batshit comedies. There is a formula it could’ve followed, but like its young troublemaker, it does what it wants. With its moments of introspection and its various subplots, it starts fast and takes a few pit stops, albeit wild ones, along the way. Instead of slowing down the story, it makes it even more interesting. What really pops, besides the hotel scene, are the subtle actor-specific jokes. Whether the jokes reference popular characters previously played or something else the actor is famously known for, they’re fun aha moments.

Characters & Chemistry

Starring: Dave Franco, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Mason Thames, Kiernan Shipka, Killer Mike Render, Nicholas Braun, Peter Dinklage

These are the fantastically outrageous performances the year has been missing. Walking the line between grounded and absurd within a turbulent script is no easy task, but the cast pulled it off in riotous fashion. O’Shea Jackson Jr. continues to show that he can thrive in any role, and he should keep irreverent comedies like this in his back pocket. Playing the try-hard rule follower, Davis makes the pairing with the rules-don’t-matter burnout, Mark, that much funnier. Picking up the ball his brother fumbled, with his own razzle-dazzle, of course, Dave Franco harnesses that classic rated-R comedy many of us grew up with. His performance as Mark is the highlight of the film as he goes full charming scumbag. The catalyst of the film’s chaotic nature is the beyond-broken, narcissistmaxxing Sheridan, played by Mason Thames. Thames blends innocence and deviance in a way that is both infuriating and entertaining. He’s like every online asshole and every bad take combined.

While the rest of the cast adds an adequate amount of unpredictable, unhinged seasoning, even with some underutilized, it’s Nicholas Braun who brings the heat. Playing Joe Thom Pell, aka Pricka Bush Da Werewoof, a gold-grill-wearing, bad-face-tattoo-having wannabe rapper who is “about that life,” he not only steals scenes but is the most memorable character in the film. Be sure to stay for the credits to see his music video.

Idiots hits theaters on August 28, 2026. Stay safe and stay woke.

Rated: R Runtime: 1h 39m Director: Macon Blair Screenplay: Macon Blair Story: Macon Blair and Alex Orr Producers: Alex Orr, Brandon James, Nathan Klingher, Ford Corbett, Joshua Harris, Mark Fasano, Macon Blair, Dave Franco Executive Producers: O’Shea Jackson Jr., Jatin Desai, Greg Freidman, Danny McBride, Jody Hill, David Gordon Green, Jeremy Saulnier, David Gendron, Ali Jazayeri, Thomas Mann Co-Producers: Trevor Kane, David Swinburne Director of Photography: Guillermo Garza Production Designer: Hunter Brown Editor: Dane McMaster Costume Designer: Karen Freed Music: Will Blair, Brooke Blair Music Supervisor: Rupert Hollier Casting: Feldstein Paris Casting, Tara Feldstein, CSA, Chase Paris, CSA, Mark Bennett, CSA