I wanted to write a review about Better Off Dead months ago, but, after I watched it for the first time, I immediately became busy doing other things. So, I forgot about the film for a while. But now I'm ready to offer my opinion about this memorable little gem. I've actually known about Better Off Dead for years, but I had no urge to watch it. That's because the DVD cover for the film does not look interesting to me. I also had no interest in John Cusack's work before I watched Better Off Dead. But later, when I decided to watch a number of 1980s teen movies, I saw the original poster for Better Off Dead (which looks much better than the DVD cover) and decided to watch the film. There are teen movies that the entertainment industry keeps telling us about, like The Breakfast Club (1985), and it's these films that people are familiar with. But I discovered that the more memorable films are the ones that don't get advertised and that don't appear on lists of the top films. So, if you're curious about a film that isn't praised by critics, you should still see it. You'll probably discover that it's a good film, regardless of what critics say. My recommendation is to never listen to film critics. I also recommend staying away from those official lists of the top films. Anyway, I had no expectations for Better Off Dead when I began watching it, and I didn't even know what it's about. Needless to say, I was immediately surprised because the film is very funny from the very beginning to the very end. There isn't really a dull moment. The film is so entertaining that I watched it in one sitting (something that I rarely do). The animator Savage Steve Holland wrote and directed Better Off Dead, so he's the one who deserves most of the praise. But there's also a good cast. John Cusack is likable as the normal, depressed, somewhat lazy high school student Lane Myer. Cusack wears an expression of hangdog gloom for most of the film, and this makes the ridiculous situations that Myer get into that much funnier. Myer has problems at home and at school. On top of all that, his girlfriend of six months, Beth (Amanda Wyss), dumps him for the handsome and popular Roy Stalin (Aaron Dozier). Quirky performances by Curtis Armstrong, Daniel Schneider and Diane Franklin also help the momentum of this teen fantasy. Franklin is especially memorable as Monique Junet, a French foreign-exchange student. Much like Lea Thompson, Franklin is nice and eager to talk about her 1980s film roles in real life. I can say that Better Off Dead isn't really about anything. It's only an unusual, very funny coming-of-age story filled with jokes and outlandish incidents. But people (including me) don't seem to care because it's still funny and charming. I definitely recommend it.
Review of Better Off Dead
