Fans of the man who brought us Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo will know what to expect from this gleefully tasteless comedy. Directed by Schneider himself, Big Stan is about as lewd and crude as it gets but, despite the relentless stream of prison rape jokes, the funnyman's debut has a surprising amount of heart.

Convicted of real estate fraud, small time con man Stan Minton (Schneider) faces a three-year prison sentence, but gets six months to sort out his affairs before being banged up.

Becoming convinced that he's going to be on the receiving end of some unwanted affection from his fellow inmates, Stan hires mysterious martial arts expert known as The Master (Carradine) to teach him self-defense and, after a punishing training regime, enters prison with some formidable fighting skills.

Soon becoming feared and respected in the yard, Stan uses his power to institute positive change, banning rape and racism. When the ruthless Warden Gasque (Wilson) involves him in a shady real estate deal, however, he must choose between getting out of jail early or selling out his newfound friends.

Audaciously tackling racism and homophobia with some very blunt comedy, Schneider's film will no doubt offend many, although its message is undoubtedly one of harmony and tolerance.

While the glut of gags centering on male rape get to be a little much, scenes involving neo-Nazis and gang bangers getting to grips with their sensitive side are real crowd-pleasers.

Big Stan is also notable for containing one of the last performances from the late Carradine, here demonstrating great comic timing as the sleazy chop-socky guru.

Schneider has assembled a strong cast across the board, with House star Morrison playing Stan's put-upon wife Mindy, revered character actor M. Emmet Walsh as his dodgy lawyer and Henry Gibson, of Blues Brothers and Boston Legal fame, as his cell mate, Shorts.

Although it might not be to all viewers' tastes, Big Stan offers plenty of raucous fun, plus the opportunity to see the legendary Carradine gamely sending up his image as a kung fu king.

Much like its eponymous hero, Schneider's film-making debut is not big or clever, but it can certainly pack a comedy punch.

Chris Prince