Falling in love with someone who’s not your spouse -- and on your honeymoon to boot -- can be treated as either a comedy or a tragedy. The Heartbreak Kid goes for the former and ends up with the latter, mostly because of its emphasis on disgusting scenes that interfere with the story too many times. Oh well, you say, it’s another Farrelly Brothers film, so what’s new? A lot! At least in movies like There’s Something about Mary, the raunchy material was funny -- and we cared about what happened to the characters.

Not so in this disappointing update of the edgy 1972 comedy directed by Elaine May, written by Neil Simon and starring Charles Grodin, Cybill Shepherd and Jeannie Berlin. That movie also focused on unsympathetic individuals, but I couldn’t help feeling concern for them in spite of their faults. In the new version, it’s difficult to care much for Eddie (Ben Stiller), a 40-year-old man who discovers he can’t stand his bride Lila (Malin Akerman) shortly after the honeymoon begins. Lila won’t stop singing; strange things come out of her nose (I’m not kidding); and she turns sex into excruciating torture for the groom. Okay, that sounds like a lot for any man to take. But, after all, Eddie married Lila just to stop his meddling father (Jerry Stiller, Ben’s real dad) and best friend (Rob Corddry) from pressuring him and to prevent Lila from being sent overseas on a “research project.” And he has no qualms about fooling around with Miranda (Michelle Monaghan), a lovely lady he meets on the Cabo beach while Lila hides away in their hotel suite, recovering from severe sunburn.

Seriously smitten with Miranda, Eddie fails to tell her he’s married. Instead, he spends as much time with her and her family as possible. Eddie and Miranda have lots of fun together doing magical things like viewing a bestiality display featuring a well-endowed donkey. Can things get any worse? Indeed. The movie continues to pile up more and more gunk, including a hard-to-believe urination scene and a disjointed illegal immigration sequence. Mercifully, the film finally ends. No, wait -- there’s more -- a crude outtake fills the screen to make our viewing pleasure complete.

In all fairness, The Heartbreak Kid manages to include some humorous moments. Akerman (Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle) evokes considerable laughter as she belts out song after song in the car during the drive to Cabo, and Stiller’s reactions to remarks at his ex-girlfriend’s wedding are priceless. Also, Monaghan (Gone Baby Gone), who projects an appealing vulnerability, handles amusing banter with Stiller like a pro. She reminds me a bit of Sandra Bullock at the beginning of her remarkable movie career.

Although I’ve always believed certain films should never be re-made, The Heartbreak Kid wasn’t one of them until now. I’m adding it to my list -- one that already includes All the King’s Men, Casablanca, Vertigo, Singin’ in the Rain, Fargo, Citizen Kane, Night of the Hunter, Gilda and Blade Runner.

(Released by Paramount Pictures and rated “R” for strong sexual content, crude humor and language.)