Better Off Dead (1985)
Written and directed by Savage Steve Holland

Like April Fool's Day, Better Off Dead must have simply been over my head when I saw it originally, but its unpredictably surreal sense of humor makes it a lot more fun to watch than many other movies from that era that I probably enjoyed much more at the time. Sort of how Julian Lennon has receded to a rather ashamed corner of my mental warehouse, while Tears For Fears has revealed more to me over time … or how I used to think that Stephanie Pekay was super hot, but now that I think of it, the far subtler Paula Rudiak was really the one to go for.

Unfortunately, my persistent phone calls to the now Paula Gavin have only resulted in a real mess of misunderstanding between her, me, her husband, and the FBI, but Better Off Dead I can watch any time I like when bitten by the old nostalgia bug (also known as alcoholism).

The film is ostensibly another teen comedy in the John Hughes vein, with John Cusack as a dejected teen dumped by his girlfriend, alternately trying to kill himself and get back on the horse.

What sets it apart, though, is the completely gonzo comedic touches that turn it into more of a spoof of the genre than a representative entry. The unexplained behavior of most of the characters amounts to a lot of absurdity, but everyone plays it straight-faced and what initially seems like a dumb 80s comedy quickly becomes a minor piece of genius.

The big highlight for me is Cusack's 8-year-old brother Badger, who silently goes about his mysterious business, which no one pays much attention to, but which results in unexpected discoveries like his working laser gun, his hosting of a truly degenerate-looking party with a roomful of trashy women, and ultimately his blast-off from the garage in a homemade space shuttle.

Almost as good is the psychotic paperboy who pursues Cusack like a zombie throughout the film, eternally chasing him down for his owed two dollars. A funny enough running gag, but writer/director Savage Steve Holland pushes it as far as it can go, actually rolling it into the climax of the film. Another running bit involving an Asian guy who only speaks English in the voice and manner of Howard Cosell is a lot more consistently funny than it should be.

David Ogden Stiers puts in a fine performance as Cusack's clueless dad, and the Curtis Armstrong offers perhaps his absolute best role ever, stealing every single scene he's in. That guy always cracks me up.

Giddy fun all around, with more of a cocaine energy to it than a giggly stoner vibe. It may be dressed up like a typical 80s comedy, but it's actually non-conformist almost to the point of insanity … the good kind of insanity. I'm hoping a similar argument about myself will help in my upcoming trial.

Review by Big Morgan