March 19, 2004

Why would anyone want to watch a movie that’s nothing but Dave Foley flailing around and getting into wacky hijinks?

I know, I know – it doesn’t sound funny at all…but it is. It really, really is. It’s stupid funny, but I laughed almost the entire way through. I was laughing so hard, I woke my mother up a few times. (You know she can’t make it through an entire movie without passing out.) I’m usually not much for physical humor and pratfalls, but it was just so bizarre that I couldn’t help but laugh.

Dave Foley plays businessman Nelson Hibbert. After Nelson is passed over for a promotion, he goes in to give his boss a piece of his mind…but the boss is dead. Knife in the neck – happens all the time, right? Nelson freaks out and runs through the office covered in his boss’s blood. Afraid that he’s been mistaken for the murderer, Nelson goes on the lam. Too bad the murder was caught on tape – Nelson was never a suspect at all.

The funniest bits come from the scenes involving Nelson’s attempts for sustenance. Wild Mushrooms – not a good idea. A rail car full of tainted ham – an even worse idea. And getting a drink out of one of those automatic jug filling machines? That’s a lot of water for a quarter.

The supporting cast was so-so…Jennifer Tilly? Meh. Joe Flaherty? Meh. That fat dude from Malcolm in the Middle? Yay! Kevin McDonald? Double yay!

Watch out for those evil farmers. They’re just diabolical. I’m still trying to figure out a way to work “To the broccoli fields, Jedediah!” into a conversation.

Year – 1997
Rating – PG-13
Runtime – 92 minutes
Genre – Comedy
Director(s) – David Steinberg
Writer(s) – Dave Foley, David Anthony Higgins, Jay Kogen
Actor(s) – Dave Foley, David Anthony Higgins, Jennifer Tilly, Joe Flaherty, Colm Feore
BOB Rating – Three BOBs
Favorite Quote – "To the broccoli fields, Jedediah!" - Farmer Brown (Alan Scarfe)