Rating: 
Summary: Not a 5 star movie, but it has 5 star appeal!
Review: Director "Savage" Steve Holland does a masterful job of showing how HS aged teens perceive the world around them. And a young John Cusack does a great job as the inwardly tortured teen with the twisted view of reality (funny, but twisted). It is, after all, our perception of reality that is, for us, reality.John Cusack plays a HS teen obsessed (and I mean OBSESSED!) with his girlfriend. When she dumps him for the captain of the HS ski team it's amazing what happens to and around him. This movie includes laugh out loud scenes. You'll love his nemesis on the street racing scene, his neighbor "Ricky," and the French foreign exchange student who sees Cusack when he can't see anything else. Watch for lines that will live forever, like... "Oh, please, don't let it be a bugger." "Gee Ricky, I'm sorry your mom blew up." "Language lessons." "You know...friend." and "I want my two dollars!" There are, however, students at the HS dance who cannot possibly still be of HS age -- but that's typical for the movies...people want to remember themselves as being older, more mature than any HS students are anywhere -- talk about twisted views of reality! Anyway, this is a grand movie with lots of wonderful lines, a fun story line, some interesting side trips into Cusack's daydreams, and an ongoing feud between Cusack's dad and the paperboy. Check it out, it's a 4 star movie with 5 star hilarity. Alan Holyoak
Rating: 
Summary: Can I Date Beth?
Review: Better Off Dead is a small little gem from the mid 80's. With all of the other teen/school comedies of that era, it's no wonder this appealing and funny film got lost in the mix. John Cusack stars as Lane Myer, a normal kid with a not so normal family. His mom is a little off her rocker. She cooks horrendous food and makes deer coats for Christmas. His little brother tries to pick up trashy women. Lane's Dad is battling the paperboy. But, worst of all, Lane doesn't make the ski team and his beloved girlfriend, Beth, dumps him for some pukey captain of the ski team. Then, Lane meets a cute foreign exchange student who's staying with his obese neighbors. Lane tries to win her love as does the son of the family she's staying with. The movie is funny. Dan Schneider, as neighbor Ricky, is downright hilarious. An underrated comedic performance. Cusack, as always, is solid and appealing. The remaining cast includes Curtis(Revenge Of The Nerds)armstrong, Vincent Schiavelli, David Ogden Stiers FROM "Mash", and Kim(True Grit)Darby. There's even a cute animation sequence involving hamburger. You heard me right. The onrunning joke about a psycho paperboy is pretty funny. The best comedy from this film is, as I've mentioned, the
nerdy, overweight nerdy boy Ricky. This is a lost comedy gem that deserves to be exposed again.
Rating: 
Summary: Review #143 (and that should tell you something)
Review: This is a great movie to have around for those nights when you really don't want to think about how it is, but would rather think about how it was. 143 people can't be wrong. John Cusak might be the most easily identified actor of my generation, (with apologies to Jon Cryer, who makes a good race out of it.) The first time I saw it in the cheap local theater I almost suffered an incontinent moment when Layne (Lane?) uttered, "Gee, I'm sorry you're mom blew up, Ricky." It's lines like that, scenes like David Ogden Stiers in the reindeer head coat, and the only known soundtrack appearance of Van Halen's "Everybody Wants Some" that make me go back for this one again and again.
Rating:
Summary: Not a 5 star movie, but it has 5 star appeal!
Review: Director "Savage" Steve Holland does a masterful job of showing how HS aged teens perceive the world around them. And a young John Cusack does a great job as the inwardly tortured teen with the twisted view of reality (funny, but twisted). It is, after all, our perception of reality that is, for us, reality. John Cusack plays a HS teen obsessed (and I mean OBSESSED!) with his girlfriend. When she dumps him for the captain of the HS ski team it's amazing what happens to and around him. This movie includes laugh out loud scenes. You'll love his nemesis on the street racing scene, his neighbor "Ricky," and the French foreign exchange student who sees Cusack when he can't see anything else. Watch for lines that will live forever, like... "Oh, please, don't let it be a bugger." "Gee Ricky, I'm sorry your mom blew up." "Language lessons." "You know...friend." and "I want my two dollars!" There are, however, students at the HS dance who cannot possibly still be of HS age -- but that's typical for the movies...people want to remember themselves as being older, more mature than any HS students are anywhere -- talk about twisted views of reality! Anyway, this is a grand movie with lots of wonderful lines, a fun story line, some interesting side trips into Cusack's daydreams, and an ongoing feud between Cusack's dad and the paperboy. Check it out, it's a 4 star movie with 5 star hilarity. Alan Holyoak
Rating:
Summary: Fun, stupid movie
Review: This is a great rainy day movie, in other words: a movie you don't need to think about too much that'll still make you smile. Take care of who you watch it with, however, as you may find yourself embarrassed to be laughing at the dinner slowly crawling off the table or David Ogden Spears being foiled by the paperboy.
Rating:
Summary: This movie rocks
Review: This movie is similar to movies like Summer Catch and One Crazy Summer but I feel it is the best comedy movie for teenagers ever made.
Rating:
Summary: Goofy, ridiculous, and fun. That's all, but thats enough.
Review: I've heard that this is one of those movies that gets better with repeated viewings and since I've only seen it once I really cant comment on that. However the film was a decent one though not up to "SAY ANYTHING..." standards. But then again those are two pretty different movies. Where as SA... tries to be poignant and intelligent this leans more towards the ridiculous and goofy. There are some really funny moments in the film and if you are a fan/collector of 80's movies you really cant do without this. Think of it this way (SAT style comparrison ;)) Say Anything is to The Breakfast club as Better off Dead is to 16 Candles. "Do you know what the street value of this mountain is?!" - Classic line!
Rating:
Summary: go VHS over DVD on this one
Review: I sit here at work and read the reviews that proceeded mine and notice something. Some people "get" it. Some don't. The question that comes from this is "Are the people who sit and wait for that sublime moment when Ricky half jumps trying to catch his balloon and then rewind, watch it again, rewind, watch it again, rewind... somehow better than everyone else?" The answer is a sad but definite yes. If you honestly watch this movie hoping to be enthralled by its plot, cinematography, and acting performances, you quite possibly are a moron. That's not what this movie is about. It's about the "international language." It's about learning the street value of a mountain and where to score some nasal spray. It's about beating some Korean kids off the line (one who speaks Howard Cosel while the other speaks no English at all) without having you dental plan activated. I make no attempt to try and convince you that this is a great movie. It is what it is. I will however give you this bit of advice, look for the little things. Look for the timing as Lane comes oh so close to eating the spoon full of cat food as he ponders the possibility of it all being just a big test. See Charles mouthing to his fetal pig (or whatever it is) in the jar to "WAKE UP!" as the camera pans by. Sure it has great lines. Sure it has funny moments. But the point I'm trying to make is that you will not enjoy this movie as much the first, second, or third time as you will the 15th, 16th and 17th. It's just that kind of flick. As far as the DVD version goes, I would have to tell people to stick to the VHS. While obviously the picture and sound qualities are better it lacks the feel that comes from the haze of a worn out VCR. In moving back to the wide screen, much of the intimate feel is lost because this is never a movie that needs to open up and show the world. Live in its smallness. Embrace it. And most importantly, take it for what it is. No more. No less.
Rating:
Summary: I could see this movie again and again!
Review: I truly feel this is a cult classic comedy. Perhaps the underdog comedy of the 80's. You really need to watch it a couple of times to catch some of the subtle lines you may otherwise miss from laughing out loud at the more obvious lines. Buy this movie, invite some friends over and enjoy!!
Rating:
Summary: The best '80s teen movie
Review: I'm a sucker for a lot of the '80s teen movies--Ferris Bueller, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Breakfast Club, etc--but Better Off Dead is my absolute favorite.
Unlike a lot of it's competition, there's something dark about this film. The protagonist, Cusask's character Lane, isn't one of the popular/cool/beautiful people. He's something of a loser, with a loser friend, a bizarre family, just trying to make it through life's little struggles. He's easy to identify with, especially if you were something of an outcast in high school yourself. Add to the basic storyline a whole lot of wacky sidebars like Ricky the shut-in neighbor, the Howard Cosell-speaking Asian racers, the Van Halen-singing/dancing hamburgers, and, of course, the paperboy and his quest for his $2, you've got one crazy high school movie that stands the test of time.
| 
