Enid Is Sleeping (1990)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

Maurice Phillips

Writers:

Maurice Phillips (writer)
A.J. Tipping (writer)

Release Date:

17 May 1991 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Tagline:

A Black and Blue Comedy.

Plot:

Enid is horrible, her husband and younger sister are having an affair. When Enid walks in on them 'enjoying' themselves...

Plot Keywords:

Black Comedy | Independent Film | Character Name In Title

Cast

Elizabeth Perkins	...	Jane
Judge Reinhold	...	Harry
Jeffrey Jones	...	Floyd
Maureen Mueller	...	Enid
Rhea Perlman	...	Mavis
Brion James	...	Trucker
Charles Tyner	...	Man at Indian Burial Site
Henry Jones	...	Old Man
Michael J. Pollard	...	Motel Manager
James Lashly	...	Gas Station Attendant
Nicholas Love	...	Robber #1
Alex Chapman	...	Robber #2
Luce Rains	...	Fireman (as Steven Schwartz-Hartley)
Deeny Dakota	...	Mary Lou (as Deenie Dakota)
Maurice Phillips	...	Cop at Indian Road Sign

Also Known As:

Over Her Dead Body

Runtime:

Argentina:98 min | UK:101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Argentina:13 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Espanola, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Davis Entertainment

Soundtrack:

MARY'S WORLD

Plenty of good laughs.

Elizabeth Perkins is wonderful in the role of June, caught in the act of having sex with Harry (Judge Reinhold) by Harry's shrewish wife Enid (Maureen Mueller). Enid happens to be June's older sister, and has treated her like garbage (and enjoyed it) all of June's life. Enid tries to shoot Harry with his own gun (Harry's a cop) and June conks her on the head (with a clown statue), killing her.

Harry proceeds to leave it mostly up to June to dispose of Enid's body, and poor, poor June goes through one horrible, humiliating setback after another in one long day and night.

The "Weekend at Bernie's" comparison is inevitable, because of the fact that so much of the story involves a main character who's dead for most of the film. But this film is developed in a more interesting way. It's still got a substantial amount of farce and dark comedy, but June is so likable that she gives the film something extra. Perkins does a superb job of carrying the film, and we can sympathize with her every step of the way.

The film moves from one outrageous incident to another, with the highlights involving a terminally drunk trucker, George (the late, great character actor Brion James, proving himself to be as adept at comedy as portraying intimidating villains). Jeffrey Jones is a real hoot as Harry's partner Floyd, the kind of small town cop who bemoans not seeing more action, and who delights in describing scenes of violence. Rhea Perlman is amusing if a little under- utilized as police dispatcher Mavis, and Michael J. Pollard once again displays his standard screen persona as a motel manager. Screen veterans Henry Jones (as a senile yet wistful old man) and Charles Tyner (as the man at the Indian burial ground) also turn up.

Director Maurice Phillips and company make good use of their rural locations (the story takes place in New Mexico), and the upbeat music by Craig Safan adds some good vibes. Overall, it's an engaging film with a particularly hysterical ending.

8/10