DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Robert De Niro puts Daytona Beach on the map similar to the fashion of Police Chief Mike Chitwood disparaging one of his patrol cops in front of the TV cameras or Juan Pablo Montoya embarrassing the billionaire France family by barreling into a jet dryer during the Daytona 500 that ignites a huge fireball and even bigger crater in the track.
Hollywood's leading geriatric man known for movies like "Taxi Driver," "The Deer Hunter," "Raging Bull," and "Meet the Fockers" returns to the big screen with "Dirty Grandpa," a comedy, co-starring Zac Efron and Zoey Deutch.
Directed by Dan Mazer and written by John Phillips, the plot is pretty straightforward or is it? Dick Kelly, played by De Niro, tricks his grandson, Jason, played by Zac Efron, into driving to Daytona Beach days before his wedding.
Or as a description with the trailer for the movie describes it: Zac Efron smokes crack, lots of booze is consumed, and Aubrey Plaza throws herself at Robert De Niro a lot. Also sex, lots of sex.
That appears to be the gist of Dirty Grandpa, the upcoming sex-drugs-and-sex-drugs-and-LifeLife lessons (probably) ensuing comedy, starring Efron and De Niro in which a man about to get married is tricked by his grandfather into heading to Daytona Beach, Florida to party irresponsibly and presumably learn that he’s marrying the wrong woman.
And from that premise, life lessons (probably) ensue.
This is how BuzzFeed describes the upcoming movie: Efron stars as a preppy, straitlaced attorney who’s days away from marrying his boss’s mega-controlling daughter. And De Niro plays his foul-mouthed grandfather, who, after recently losing his wife, tricks Efron’s character into joining him on one last crazy adventure. Both guys take a road trip to the spring break capital of the world: Daytona Beach, Florida. And as you can probably guess, things get pretty damn crazy:
Surely, "Dirty Grandpa" is not the kind of movie Daytona Beach city elders will be pleased with.
Though with Daytona's fading light as a tourism destination -- stock car racing at Daytona International Speedway isn't as popular as it was when Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was burning up the track (sands Montoya) and with growing violent crime in recent years making the city a veritable cesspool -- this Robert DeNiro offering may prove fitting, even if Spring Break ceased being a big deal two decades ago.
Robert De Niro, shown here at left, has been on top of the Hollywood movie scene for decades with blockbusters like 'Taxi Driver,' 'Goodfellas.' 'Raging Bull' and 'Casino,' but he's on the bottom in his newest flick, 'Dirty Grandpa,' which is not exactly endearing to Daytona as a family destination.
Surely, "Dirty Grandpa" is not the kind of movie city elders will be pleased with. Though with Daytona's fading light as a tourism destination -- stock car racing at Daytona International Speedway isn't as popular as it was when Dale Earnhardt, Sr. was burning up the track (sands Montoya) and with growing violent crime in recent years making the city a veritable cesspool -- this Robert DeNiro offering may prove fitting, even if Spring Break ceased being a big deal two decades ago.
De Niro is known for his dramatic leading roles in movies like "Taxi Driver," But he's not seen so fondly in his role in the movie, "Dirty Grandpa" as described by CinemaBlend as follows:
"Let’s ignore, temporarily, the fact that De Niro is considered to be one of the greatest actors of this (or any) generation. The man has also appeared in drivel, and isn’t opposed to dabbling in offensive comedies from time to time. This, still, feels like he’s reaching for a new low."
CinemaBlend continues: "The plot is… non-existent? De Niro’s a recent widower who convinces his uptight grandson (Efron) to accompany him on a road trip to South Florida because he and his wife made that trip every year, and he’s not going to let a little thing like her death stop him. This becomes an excuse for the duo to get involved in all sorts of debauchery, the types of things that come with drinking, drugging and putting poor Aubrey Plaza through uncomfortable sex jokes…"
The film is expected to open in theaters on Jan. 16.
In case you are wondering, the closest DeNiro and Efron got to Daytona in the filming of "Dirty Grandpa" was Atlanta.
FAST FACTS: Dirty Grandpa
Plot: Right before his wedding, an uptight guy is tricked into driving his grandfather, a perverted former Army general, to Daytona Beach, Florida for Spring Break.
Did You Know?
These movies showcased Daytona Beach, Florida: "The First of May," "Angel of Death - Eileen Wuornos Story," "Days of Thunder," "Marvin's Room and Rosewood."