Mystery Team

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Going back to a time before Donald Glover was known as Childish Gambino, and even before the days of 'Community', he seems to have been in a variety of comedy shorts. He was part of a comedy group called "Derrick Comedy"; an internet sketch group hailing from NYU who became an apparent viral sensation through a skit called "Bro Rape". Eventually, they made a film together, and that film is 'Mystery Team'.

The film centers on three main guys; Jason, "The Master of Disguise" (Donald Glover), Duncan, "Boy Genius" (DC Pierson), and Charlie, "The Strongest Kid in Town" (Dominic Dierkes). Together, as children, they formed the Mystery Team, and went around the neighborhood, solving mysteries having to do with things such as missing cats, or stolen bikes. Now, a little more grown up, they remain as naive as ever, and haven't really broken free from acting like a bunch of kids. As a result, the community doesn't really take them seriously anymore.

Eventually, a young girl named Briana (Daphne Ciccarelle) comes along and hires the Mystery Team in order to figure out why her parents got killed in a double homicide. The team takes the case in order to prove to the neighborhood that they are, in fact, serious about their business.

I feel it only fair to forewarn everyone that it's gonna take a certain sense of humor to get through this one. It does get pretty messy in its gross-out humor, so you'll need to be able to accept a few of those nasty sight gags. I tend to think of gross-out humor as pretty cheap, myself, so there were even moments I wasn't too big on here. Actually, three, specifically stick out in my mind. So be prepared to look away for a couple of seconds here and there if you get queasy easily. With that said, however, a lot of it is actually made up for with simple dialogue and sight gags (that aren't gross). I found myself laughing genuinely quite a bit at just random unexpected moments all throughout the movie.

Joining the cast is Aubrey Plaza as Briana's older sister, Kelly, who pretty much plays the love interest for Jason. She's pretty funny in it too, playing her kinda typical Aubrey Plaza role where you kinda think she's being sarcastic and bitchy, but at the same time she's still really attractive for some reason?... There really is something about her, isn't there? But I digress. She does a good job here in playing the straight character, while the Team plays off her quite well, especially Jason.

Perhaps the most fun about this movie is that it's a pretty dark murder mystery, but it practically plays out like a kid's movie. It kinda makes me think of something like 'Dennis the Menace', but if the kids were actually in their late teens, and solving murders instead of just messing with Mr. Wilson... But then, one might even take the 'Dennis' kids a bit more seriously than these guys.

It's hard to say exactly who I would recommend this to, but I'd imagine it would be a hit for anyone who can at least stomach some of the gross-out humor. I'm telling you, there are a couple of moments I felt like I could turn it off. Beware the Strip Club scene, that's the big warning. But even if you have that urge, I'd urge you further to just wait it out 'cause something actually hilarious is probably right around the corner.

'Mystery Team' is currently available on Netflix, so if you're on the lookout for that next hilarious low-brow comedy (hey, they have an audience, what can I say?) then I'd recommend tuning in! Just maybe don't be eating any food when you do.

3/5

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