Friday, February 22, 2013

Better Off Dead… (1985)

I can't remember the last time I laughed so many times at a movie, unless it was the similarly 4-and-a-half-star-rated Seven Psychopaths earlier this month. (February is my month for movies, I guess.)

What I loved about this movie is that in some ways, it's a very generic coming-of-age story. I could totally see this same very basic plot being in any of the John Hughes films of the 80s: girl dumps guy, guy determines to win her back through daring feat, guy completes the daring feat but realizes he really loves another girl. It's a really traditional formula, and it could have been just cute and sweet.

Instead, we get this, a bizarre, surreal journey into a world where psychotic paper boys chase down teenagers, mothers cook live octopuses for dinner, and there's an extended animated sequence featuring singing hamburgers. It's hilarious, it's ridiculous, and I loved every single second of it. 4.5 stars.

Flickchart: #228 out of 1865, below Invasion of the Body Snatchers and above The Boys Next Door.

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