Review of Better Off Dead

Introduction

Lane Myer (John Cusack) is in love and a tad obsessed with his girlfriend Beth (Amanda Wyss) with whom he had been going out for the last six months. That all changes one Sunday morning when Lane and Beth head for the High School Ski Team tryouts, and Beth walks off with Roy Stalin (Aaron Dozier), the dashing but obnoxious Ski Team Captain. Lane is distraught and decides he`s better off dead than living without her.

That mood changes when he meets Monique (Diane Franklin) , a French exchange student who supposedly speaks no English and who is staying with neighbour Mrs Smith (Laura Waterbury) and son Ricky (Dan Schneider). Mrs Smith is not that worried about Monique speaking no English, as she absurdly believes that the International Language of Love is being spoken in their house. This is just before she blows herself up with some primer she thinks is liquor though (one of Lane`s suicide plots in his more depressive moments…).

Meanwhile Lane`s father (David Ogden Stiers) struggles to get Lane to do anything about the old Camaro that is lying dormant on the front lawn, is exasperated by the insistence of young son Badger (Scooter Stevens) on cutting coupons from cereal boxes before they`re empty and the rather strange cooking and fashion ideas of wife Jenny (Kim Darby).

Lane slowly gets his life back on track with the help of Monique and long-time student Charles De Mar (Curtis Armstrong), but snaps one day in the school cafeteria after having the mick ripped out of him again by Stalin. Lane challenges him to a run off the dreaded K12, a mountain that only Stalin seems to have conquered, and immediately regrets it. This isn`t Lane`s only problem though, being pursued by newspaper boy Johnny (Demian Slade) who just wants his `two dollars`, and is prepared to go to any length to get it.

Video

The picture`s OK but nothing to special. Given that this was made in 1985 though and not exactly a candidate for special treatment, it`s more than adequate if a little grainy in places. There`s also some nice traditional and stop/motion animation elements, the latter a Van Halen guitar playing burger…

Audio

Dolby stereo soundtrack, again the film doesn`t really warrant anything-else. The soundtrack was put together by little-known English musician Rupert Hine and includes Howard Jones, EG Daily and Van Halen.

Features

Nowt, but despite my obvious enthusiasm for this film I doubt it`s going to appear on the studio`s list for Special Edition makeover any time soon…

Conclusion

`Gee, I`m real sorry your mom blew up, Ricky.`

80`s high school films were generally the preserve of John Hughes, and I subscribe to that train of thought myself. This film, however, is one of my favourite films ever. I`m a huge fan of Ferris Bueller`s Day Off, The Breakfast Club and Some Kind Of Wonderful, but this one just zips past them because it`s so absurd and hilariously funny. Whilst the others are either funny but in a semi-normal context or full of teenage angst (but not really both), this has both qualities but inhabits an entirely different universe.

`This is pure snow! Do you have any idea what the street value of this mountain is?`

Let`s be clear, John Cusack`s acting is sometimes not the greatest in this film and let`s also remember that he is responsible for the fantastic Grosse Point Blank, but this was virtually the start of his acting career and he was very young when filming it. I`ve seen interview with Savage Steve Holland (director) who states the Cusack is embarrassed by this film. Well John, I`ve got one thing to say: don`t be so *bleep*ing stupid. This film is just magical and I`ve now watched it for more than 20 years. That`s the mark of something special. Can you really say the same about some of your other films (other than the afore mentioned Grosse Point Blank, of course).

`Now that`s a real shame when folks be throwin` away a perfectly good white boy like that.`

The thing that grabs me about this film (other than the absurdity of the situation) is the rich tapestry of characters. Roy Stalin and ex Beth are completely bland characters, but then they are the `bad guys`. Nutty wife Jenny Meyers whose disgustingly funny cooking comes to life; long-term high school student Charles De Mar (`I`ve been at this High School for seven and a half years; I`m no dummy…`) who is happy whether snorting jelly or snow; Johnny the psychotic paper boy who just wants his `two dollars`, Badger the silent sibling who picks up trashy women and builds space shuttles; Mrs Smith, the loud and obnoxious neighbour who blows her up, the Chinese brothers whose sole purpose seems to be to race Lane whilst one commentates on an in-car PA…

`Two brothers... One speaks no English, the other learned English from watching "The Wide World of Sport". So you tell me... Which is better? Speaking no English at all or speaking Howard Cosell?`

The chemistry between Cusack and Franklin as budding lovers holds this film together, but only in that it gives the film a core for the other characters to revolve around. The central performances are good but they`re part of a whole. Frankly one of the funniest performances in places is that of Ricky, the scenes around the High School with him are fantastic and the little skip as he loses a balloon really are worth seeing again and again.

`Go that way, really fast. If something gets in your way, turn.`

I don`t think I`ll ever get tired of watching this film. It`s ace.