Dirty Work

Comedian Bob Saget made his feature film directorial debut with “Dirty Work,” released in 1998, with cameos from Saturday Night Live alumnus Chris Farley, Chevy Chase and Adam Sandler. “Dirty Work” is movie written by Frank Sebastiano, Norm MacDonald, and Fred Wolf. It stars Norm MacDonald, Artie Lange, Jack Warden, Traylor Howard, and Christopher MacDonald. Brandon Peters admitted in his review, “Its one of my personal favorite comedies from the 90s and I was very happy to see Olive Films picking it up to put onto Blu-ray!”

Best friends Mitch and Sam have started their own business that won’t fail – a “revenge” business that’ll take on the “Dirty Work” of “getting even,” dealing with stuff that people can’t or won’t take care of on their own. However, when they start fighting with shady property developer Travis Cole, they have met their match. Or have they? This time revenge will not only feel good, but will be hilarious, when the “Dirty Work” really starts.

Peters admitted, “Norm MacDonald is my all-time favorite Weekend Update anchor and one of my favorite Saturday Night Live cast members of all time. His humor during his era was a little ahead of its time, and you sort of had to get on the same page as him.  It’s very dry, bitter and relentless.  So, when his first feature film came a knocking in the summer of 1998, I was all over it.  I was hoping that this would launch Norm into some greater stardom.  I mean, they were putting his movie out in the summer, they had high expectations.”

Peters continued, “And I knew right away from seeing Dirty Work opening night to a mostly empty theater, that this one wasn’t going to take off at all.” The film got to number 9 on the top 10 before falling at ten million dollars theatrically. Norm would get another lead in a film, and be in sitcoms before transferring stuff to personal projects before become Colonel Sanders for KFC’s ad campaign.

Peters admitted, “Regardless of the film’s success, I really loved it.  And I still think its very funny today.  I never realized how darn short it was until this review (just over 75 minutes before the credits start rolling).  It featured Norm’s schtick and gags woven into a movie about getting revenge through heinous pranks on people.  His punchline deliveries were there and he carried over his tape recorder “Note to Self:” bit into the movie as well.  It was Norm MacDonald humor on a big scale and I enjoyed every second of it.”

They actually helped this film out with his co-stars and cameos. Bob Saget also made his directorial debut on the film, and his humor and Norm’s are both on the same level (Surprisingly this got a PG-13 rating). Artie Lange makes a good costar with MacDonald as they work well off of one another. Chevy Chase and Chris Farley also have small roles, both bringing the best of what they are given. Chevy Chase actually feels like he got to just use his humor wisely and he did a great job in some parts. Jack Warden really brings everything, and remember Traylor Howard? She was really popular during the 90s, and she’s completely beautiful here. Then there’s the other MacDonald, and if you want a villain in a comedy in the 90s, there’s not one better than him.

Peters mentions, “As someone who loved this movie and the comedic actor it was trying to promote, it still held up for me quite well.  I don’t know the ins and outs as to whether this became a cult classic or not, but most people I know that have seen it tended to enjoy it to varying degrees.  I was excited to revisit this one and notch it into my Blu-ray collection and with how short it is, I’ll definitely be giving it frequent spins.”

This movie got really slammed by critics when it was released. However, when I saw it, I really liked it. Especially with a nice cameo from Don Rickles, how could you go wrong? I know that this has that sophomoric, juvenile, disgusting humor, but it’s not going to make you completely uncomfortable the entire runtime. I still say check it out at least once and give it a chance. If you don’t end up liking it, I get it.

Well, that ends “Chris Farley Month.” I hope all of you enjoyed it. Stay tuned next month for more excitement in my reviews.

Billy Madison

First, he was Opera Man, Canteen Boy and Cajun Man. Then, he was Billy Madison. Going off a hot streak from his five years on “Saturday Night Live,” Adam Sandler co-wrote and starred in “Billy Madison” in 1995, a comedy about a 27-year-old slacker who really needs to get his act together. That eventually happens when Billy’s father, hotel manager Brian Madison (Darren McGavin), who threatens to hand his business over to vice president (Bradley Whitford) if Billy doesn’t straighten himself out.

To prove that he’s responsible enough to take over his father’s business, Billy agrees to go back to school and complete grades one through twelve, the grades he originally passed only because Billy’s father paid off the teachers, within six months. On his mission, he meets several helpful elementary school kids, a gay principal who was once a professional wrestler (Josh Mostel), a disturbed school bus driver (Chris Farley), and the drop-dead gorgeous Ms. Veronica Vaughn, Billy’s third-grade teacher (Bridgette Wilson).

Jamey Codding said in his review, “It's not the most complicated story out there, and it's certainly not the most mature selection you're going to find on the Blockbuster shelves, yet somehow Sandler and the rest of the cast make it work.” Billy is instantly lovable and the villain, Eric Gordon, is just as despicable, and if a film really has you cheering for the protagonist and against the antagonist, then it’s doing something right. The script also includes so many successful jokes and memorable scenes like Billy’s hysterical dodgeball game on his first day of school, and you’ve got a movie that’s funnier than it should be.

For many people, films like “Billy Madison” is on the list that is near the top of “guilty pleasures.” Codding asks, “Is it sophomoric? Yes. Is it silly? Absolutely. Is it stupid? On more than one occasion. But it's also funny and, some would argue, even endearing.”

I remember seeing a little bit of the movie a long time ago, which including the cursive scene, but I didn’t see the rest of the movie until way later. I know that people give Adam Sandler a hard time and say that a lot of his movies are horrible, but I still find every single one of his movies funny. I know his movie are childish and can get gross, but I still like them, especially this one. You should see it, especially if you want to see Sandler and Farley work off of one another, especially since this came out after Farley passed away. See it in his memory.

Check out next week when I look at the last Farley movie that also came out after he passed away in the finale of “Chris Farley Month.”

Tommy Boy

The work of onscreen chemistry can’t be overlooked. Look at the 1995 comedy, “Tommy Boy,” for instance. There’s nothing special about Bonny and Terry Turner’s script – the writing is decent, many of the jokes are obvious and the plot is standard. However, when looking at Chris Farley and David Spade, who first worked together on “Saturday Night Live” and later in “Coneheads,” “Tommy Boy” ended up being funnier than it should’ve been. Jamey Codding said in his review, “In fact, the film became one of the surprise hit comedies of the 1990s and, in the process, propelled Farley and Spade into fleeting superstardom.”

Recent college graduate Tom Callahan II, played by Chris Farley, still relaxing over the fact that he got a D+, goes home to work for his father’s auto parts company. Seeing that his son needs serious guidance and supervision, Big Tom Callahan (Brian Dennehey), a greatly successful businessman who “could sell a ketchup Popsicle to a woman in white gloves,” asks corporate assistant Richard Hayden (David Spade) to help Tommy. However, when Big Tom suddenly passes during his wedding reception, Tommy and Richard drive on a sale trip to try and stop Beverly and Paul Barish (Bo Derek and Rob Lowe), Tommy’s new step-mother and step-brother, from selling Callahan Auto to top competitor Ray Zalinski (Dan Aykroyd).

Besides Farley and Spade, whose performances made them get the MTV Movie Award for Best Onscreen Duo, the rest of the cast is great but understated in their roles; however the casting of Dennehey as Tommy’s father was perfect. Derek and Lowe are fine as Tommy’s tricky extended family, as is Julie Warner, who plays Tommy’s love interest Michelle Brock. Codding said, “With this kind of meager competition, Aykroyd actually stands out in his bit part as automotive giant Ray Zalinski, but "Tommy Boy" is still unequivocally the Farley & Spade show.”

Codding continued, “In one corner, you've got Tommy, a warm-hearted clod whose genuine intentions are all too often thwarted by poor execution. And in the other corner, there's Richard, a cold-hearted jerk whose selfish intentions have led to a lonely, unsuccessful life. This Abbott and Costello-like dynamic forms the heart and soul of the film and produces a horde of classic one-liners ("Does this suit make me look fat?" "No, your face does."), and while Farley and Spade revived this relationship one year later in "Tommy Boy 2" (AKA "Black Sheep"), this will forever stand as the duo's crowning moment. For proof, check out Farley's and Spade's post "Tommy Boy" career paths: The redundant "Black Sheep" was popular with the "Tommy Boy" crowd for obvious reasons, but Farley's next two films, "Beverly Hills Ninja" and "Almost Heroes," were mediocre at best, while Spade starred in blockbusters like "Joe Dirt" and "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star," and can currently be seen in commercials shilling for Capital One. Not exactly an upward trend, which makes "Tommy Boy's" success even more remarkable.”

When looking at quotable movies, this one can be a contender with just about any other ‘90s comedy. Sure, it has flaws, but not enough of them to overlook the comedic duo of Farley and Spade. Like its late, funny co-star, “Tommy Boy” is memorable, fascinating and absolutely hilarious. Codding said, “Featuring Chris Farley at his goofiest, zaniest, clumsiest best, this is the way most of us will forever remember the former "SNL" star.” Ironically, the same thing could be said about Spade.

There is a cameo of the hot model, Lorri Bagley, who plays a girl that decides to go skinny dipping at a hotel pool Farley and Spade stay at.

I saw this movie during math class in High School and I found this movie really funny. If you haven’t seen this and you liked Chris Farley, don’t listen to the criticisms the critics gave this and see it for yourself. This is an absolute must, especially for those who are fans of Chris Farley, and comedy fans overall.

Look at next week when I look at two movies that Farley co-starred in, but people don’t really talk about it so much, in “Chris Farley Month.”

Wayne's World

For this month, I will be paying tribute to a late SNL alum who we sadly lost too young and too soon, the late and hilarious Chris Farley. I first saw him in a movie when I was a freshman in High School and I really found him funny. I didn’t know of his drug addiction that caused him to go so soon, so I would like to look at all the films that I saw of his, starting with two of my favorite comedies, the “Wayne’s World” movies.

Mike Myers and impressionist Dana Carvey star as the famous Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar in director Penelope Spheeris’s harmless, childish 1992 intelligent youth comedy based on a Saturday Night Live sketch.

Sadly, they are friends who are 35-year-old slacking teenagers who host and try to promote their heavy-metal late-night public-access cable TV show from Wayne’s parents’ basement in Aurora, Illinois.

Rob Lowe plays a smooth TV producer named Benjamin Oliver who wants to abuse them, and on their raise to stardom they get to meet famous rockstars Meat Loaf and Alice Cooper.

Derek Winnert said in his review, “The two stars seem to have amusing acts of fairly restricted range, though stand-up comedian Myers, making his feature film debut here back in 1992, looks like a developing talent.” Lowe, in his supporting role, fails to get laughs by playing up his 80s good-looking image as a slimy entrepreneur trying to take over the Wayne’s World TV show.

Winnert asked, “The script is amiable enough but gleefully amateurish and where are the big laughs?” Yet it took $33.5 million on the first 10 days when released and grossed $121.6 million on its theatrical release, making it the tenth highest-grossing film of 1992 and the highest grossing of the 11 films based on Saturday Night Live sketches.

Shot in 34 days, the film also has Tia Carrere (Cassandra), Lara Flynn Boyle, Brian Doyle-Murray, Chris Farley, Ed O’Neil (Ben), Kurt Fuller, Ione Skye and Colleen Camp. Robert Patrick spoofs his role in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.”

The TV sketches and film started catchphrases such as “Schwing” and “Schyea,” along with popularizing “That’s what she said,” “Party On,” “We’re not worthy” and the use of “…Not!” after actually positive sentences.

Wayne, Garth, Cassandra, Glen and Ben sometimes speak directly to the audience and even the cameraman, but no one else seems to notice that they are in a film..Parts of the story are carried by Wayne’s narration to the camera, where he gives his thoughts on what’s happening in the film.

Director Stephen Surjik’s 1993 comedy “Wayne’s World 2” is a less harsh, more friendly and more accomplished sequel to the 1992 “Wayne’s World” however much less popular at the box office.

This time the famous Wayne Campbell hosts the rock concert Waynestock, a sequel to Woodstock, with the help of the spirit of Jim Morrison (Michael A Nickles) and a naked Indian (Larry Sellers) – “If you book them, they will come” – while Garth Algar gets to make love to Honey Hornée (Kim Basinger), who is only doing it because she wants him to kill her husband.

There are as many movie parodies as rock tributes this time, even spoofing “The Graduate” as Wayne runs to the church to the tune of Mrs. Robinson to stop his girlfriend Cassandra Wong from marrying evil pop promoter Bobby Cahn, played by Christopher Walken.

There are plenty of lenient laughs, mainly of recognition, as we add up the parodies (including “Jurassic Park” and “Thelma and Louise”) and have cameos (Charlton Heston as Good Actor, Al Hansen as Bad Actor, Drew Barrymore as Bjergen Kjergen, Heather Locklear as herself, and Jay Leno as Jay Leno). Winnert said, “But there are also a failure to develop individual comedy set pieces much beyond the original gag, a lack of impetus to drive the story along, and a fizzle of a finish.”

As Wayne and Garth, Myers and Carvey seem friendlier, and more focused in their comedy than before, while Walken and Basinger do their welcome moves, but are a bit lost.

Winnert mentioned, “It is all very showbizzy and cosy for a celebration of teenage idiot culture, which may be why it disappointed at the US box office, likeable and amusing though it is.”

It cost $40 million and grossed $48,197,805 in the US, unlike the original which cost $20 million and grossed $121,697,323 in the US.

Also in the cast are Olivia D’Abo, Chris Farley, Ralph Brown, Ed O’Neill, Harry Shearer (the voice of Mr. Burns, Waylon Smithers, Principal Skinner, Ned Flanders, Reverend Lovejoy, Kent Brockman, Dr. Hibbert, Scratchy, Birch Barlow, Marvin Monroe, Herman Hermann, Clancy Bouvier, Eddie, Otto Mann, Rainier Wolfcastle, and Mr. Fisk from "The Simpsons") and James Hong, along with Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton and Joey Kramer from Aerosmith.

These two are really great movies. I did not know they were based on SNL sketches, but I did hear about this movie when I was in High School. One time we had a substitute and the class had to vote to either watch “Wayne’s World” or “Remember the Titans,” and “Remember the Titans” won. One student didn’t like that “Remember the Titans” won, he left class. I did hear a few students quote “Wayne’s World” in class, since I knew the famous “Schwing” line, but I never bothered watching both the movies until I was in college. I really enjoyed them. If you haven’t seen these movies, give them a watch because you will like them. The second movie may not be as good as the first one, but it is still good in its own way. Now I know that Chris Farley was only a cameo appearance in these movies, but he was still in them, so it counts.

Look out next week when I review the first movie I saw of Farley’s in “Chris Farley Month.”