Melissa McCarthy with Phil Phillips, voiced by Bill Barretta, in the new movie “The Happytime Murders.” (Courtesy/STX Entertainment) 

Sometimes a movie is so powerful, so captivating, so tremendous, it not only is life changing, it also brings society closer together.

“The Happytime Murders” is NOT that movie.

Rating: *1/2 (out of 5)

The movie is set in a world in which humans and puppets exist together, although puppets are treated as second-class citizens. The narrator and hero of our movie is Phil Phillips (Bill Barretta), the first and last puppet police officer, haunted by a standoff in which he accidentally killed an innocent bystander. After being testified against by his former partner, Detective Connie Edwards (Melissa McCarthy), he now works as a private investigator.

When asked to look into a threat by a new client, Phil was present for the murder of Mr. Bumblypants (Kevin Clash), a cast member of the first puppet/human sitcom, “The Happytime Gang.” After Phil’s brother (and former “Happytime” star) Larry (Victor Yertid) is murdered, Phil suspects that someone is killing the former cast members of the show.

With that in mind, LAPD’s Lieutenant Banning (Leslie David Baker) brings Phil on as a consultant, assigning him to work with Edwards to find out who is behind these murders and why.

“The Happytime Murders” is directed by Brian Henson, son of Jim, who also directed “Muppet Treasure Island” and “A Muppet Christmas Carol.” In this movie, I get what he is trying to do. He mixes the spirit and feel of an old film noir, a racism allegory, and the kind of movie that everyone at Henson’s production company probably talked about wanting to do but would never go through with it.

While the film does succeed by having the feel and spirit of an old Hollywood detective story, the film relies too heavily on trying to be gross and shocking, making it a boring affair to endure.

The biggest problem this film has is the fact that the movie tries way too hard, way too frequently, and ultimately way too late to be shocking or funny. The concept of R-rated puppets isn’t new. Between the Tony-winning “Avenue Q,” Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s “Team America,” and, to a lesser degree, Peter Jackson’s “Meet the Feebles,” there’s little left to say.

“The Happytime Murders” is many things. None of them are a good movie.

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“The Happytime Murders,” a STX Entertainment release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for strong crude and sexual content and language throughout. Running time: 91 minutes.