Trailer Park Boys Presents Standing on the Shoulders of Kitties

Bubbles fulfills his dream of being a country music singer in Trailer Park Boys Presents Standing on the Shoulders of Kitties: The Bubbles and the Shitrockers Story. Bubbles (Mike Smith) is making a documentary about his burgeoning country music career, as he performs his cat-themed songs at an old folk’s home, in exchange for free food. Seeing a poster for a $100 songwriting contest, Bubbles decides to form a band called The Shitrockers, with the help of his manager Julian (John Paul Tremblay) and to the annoyance of Ricky (Robb Wells), especially as the band rehearses in his trailer.

As Bubbles and the Shitrockers gain notoriety playing around Sunnyvale, the band is booked to be the opening act for Billy Bob Thornton on a European tour. The band makes the trip to Europe, with Randy (Patrick Roach) coming along as the Shitrockers’ roadies. However, it turns out that old nemesis Tom Mayhue is Billy Bob Thornton’s tour manager, and he quickly makes Bubbles wish that he was back in Sunnyvale.

Trailer Park Boys Presents Standing on the Shoulders of Kitties Synopsis

Trailer Park Boys Presents Standing on the Shoulders of Kitties: The Bubbles and the Shitrockers Story is the fourth feature film based on the popular mockumentary comedy series, arriving a decade after 2014’s Trailer Park Boys: Don’t Legalize It. The film is written by Bubbles actor Mike Smith and directed by music video director Charlie Lightening. Bubbles is the primary protagonist in this Trailer Park Boys adventure, with Ricky and Julian remaining in Sunnyvale when Bubbles joins Billy Bob Thornton, playing a fictionalized version of himself, on a European tour. Taking their place is an expanded role for Patrick Roach as the perpetually shirtless Randy, the former sidekick of now-deceased trailer park supervisor Jim Lahey, who now operates a hamburger food truck that doubles as the Shitrockers’ tour bus.

My Thoughts on Trailer Park Boys Presents Standing on the Shoulders of Kitties

This year marks 25 years since Mike Clattenburg directed his original 1999 film The Trailer Park Boys, which served as the basis for the TV series, which ran from 2001 to 2018. Trailer Park Boys has become primary roles for actors Mike Smith, John Paul Tremblay, and Rob Wells, with the three rarely being seen out of character as Bubbles, Julian, and Ricky, with some notable exceptions being Mike Smith’s antagonistic role in 2011’s Lloyd the Conqueror and Rob Wells making a very brief cameo in Jason Eisner’s Hobo with a Shotgun. Trailer Park Boys Presents Standing on the Shoulders of Kitties: The Bubbles and the Shitrockers Story is the first Trailer Park Boys film not to be directed by creator Mike Clattenburg and instead the film is the feature debut for Charlie Lightning, best known for directing music videos for Liam Gallagher and The Rolling Stones.

An aspect of Trailer Park Boys Presents Standing on the Shoulders of Kitties: The Bubbles and the Shitrockers Story that might be a bit jarring for longtime fans of Trailer Park Boys is how Ricky and Julian take a backseat for much of the film, as Bubbles quite literally takes centre stage. While undoubtedly a cult-favourite character, Bubbles is arguably a better character when he is interacting with the frequently-annoyed Ricky and the straight man Julian. The film tries to fill the void by making Randy the new sidekick of Bubbles, though the dynamic isn’t quite the same.

Adding some star-power to Trailer Park Boys Presents Standing on the Shoulders of Kitties: The Bubbles and the Shitrockers Story is Billy Bob Thornton as himself, making reference to both his side-career as a country single and his reputation for being a wild-man, with one of his earliest scenes seeing him invite the Shitrockers to join him on a visit to a Czech sex club. The film also features a cameo by Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, who plays a pivotal role in the film’s climatic performance at Abby Road Studios.

Speaking of the performances, the film actually portrays Bubbles as a rather competent country music performer, whose dream of being a musician was so strong, that he created all of his album covers in advance. The performance scenes of Trailer Park Boys Presents Standing on the Shoulders of Kitties: The Bubbles and the Shitrockers Story arguably blur the line between Bubbles the character and Mike Smith the person, as Smith himself began as a musician, even before Trailer Park Boys. Sadly, those playing the Shitrockers don’t make much of a lasting impression, with me not even remembering their names.

Ultimately, Trailer Park Boys Presents Standing on the Shoulders of Kitties: The Bubbles and the Shitrockers Story is a film that is only meant for the most hardcore fans of Trailer Park Boys, particularly those who love the shtick of Mike Smith’s Bubbles. However, the focus on country music performances and the reduced roles for Ricky and Julian might even alienate those who have been fans for the entirety of Trailer Parks Boys’ 25 year existence. However, their longevity alone is something that much be applauded.

Trailer for Trailer Park Boys Presents Standing on the Shoulders of Kitties