Down the Ribber: A Headache of a Prank

Is it worth your time?

If you have a high tolerance for 1930s slapstick and guys constantly shouting, sure. It’s for the folks who like their humor loud and a bit mean-spirited. If you get annoyed by characters who never stop to explain themselves, skip it. You will absolutely hate the pacing.

Leon Errol is basically the punching bag of the universe here. It’s funny for the first five minutes, then it just starts feeling like a chore. The whole premise is this "Loyal Order of Ribbers" stealing his car and then framing him for things he didn't do. It’s a prank, get it? Ha. Ha.

There is this one moment where Leon is trying to file a report, and the desk sergeant acts like Leon is speaking a foreign language. It’s supposed to be classic comedy frustration, but the lighting in that room is so flat it looks like a basement office. Honestly, my eyes drifted to the background extras. One guy in the corner is just holding a coffee cup for three minutes straight without taking a sip.

It’s not quite on the level of something like Good Morning, Nurse where the chaos feels earned. Here, the chaos is just noise. The Ribbers aren't even that interesting as villains; they’re just guys in hats who think they’re hilarious. You can almost feel the writer, Al Boasberg, trying to cram in as many gags as possible before the film stock ran out.

The pacing is a total wreck. One scene ends abruptly, and we’re suddenly in a completely different location with no bridge. It’s jarring. It feels like the editor just tossed the reels in a dryer and hit start. Not exactly high-art, but hey, it’s a time capsule of a certain kind of frantic energy.

I found myself wondering if Leon Errol ever got tired of playing the guy who’s always one step behind. He’s good at the rubber-legged walk, don't get me wrong. But after the tenth time he’s confused by a fake situation, you just want him to punch somebody. Just once.

• The car isn't even a nice car.
• The "Ribbers" hats look like they were made of cardboard.
• The dialogue is mostly just people interrupting each other.

Maybe it’s better if you watch it in small chunks. If you sit through it all at once, you might start feeling like the guy in the desk scene—just ready for it to end. It’s a weird little relic. Not great, but definitely weird.