Better Off Dead- an '80s Classic!!

In the 1980's, nothing ruled the movies quite like high school centered, teens-in-love, angst ridden comedies. Fast Times at Ridgemont High was an instant classic, and remains so to this day, while John Hughes practically monopolized the genre with his numerous films starring the "Brat Pack." However, no movie really grasped the humor, or absurdity, of being a teen quite like the early John Cusak movie Better Off Dead, released in 1985.

Written and directed by Savage Steve Holland, and said to be semi-autobiographical, the film centers on the life of Lane Meyer (John Cusak.) Lane has a plethora of problems ranging from an incredibly bizarre family, to the usual stesses of school work, and everything in between, but all of that pales beside the fact that he's dating one of the most attractive, most popular girls at school, Beth (Amanda Wyss.) Until...she dumps him for the more popular, attractive jock, whose claim to fame is skiing the most treacherous slope in the state, the K-12. Devastated, Lane decides he'd be better off dead than to live without her, but unfortunately, he can't even get that right! After a number of failed attempts, he and his best friend Charles (Curtis Armstrong) decide if Lane can ski the fabled K-12 himself, he can win Beth back. Enter the French foreign exchange student across the street to help, and the romantic spark is re-inserted into the movie. The exchange student, Monique, is interested in Lane from the second she arrives but he, of course, is too obsessed with getting Beth back to notice...at first. A near infinite number of completely bizarre happenings occur from start to finish, and after the typical 80's style montage, Lane is finally ready for his big day. Well, in an 80's feel good film, so needless to say he wins the ski contest, humiliates the jock, and goes home with the girl who he deserves. Everyone ends up happy except those who don't deserve it.

Granted, my measly synopsis in the paragraph above does little to touch on the unlimited hilarity of this movie. There's a ton more than just the basic story. There's the scene where clay-mation hamburgers do a little song and dance number to the tune of Van Halen's "Everybody Wants Some." Or the time Charles looks at Lane and tells him, "I've been going to this high school for seven years, Lane. I'm no dummy." Or the Asian brothers who just keep popping up to make Lane's life a little more miserable. There are a hundred little scenes, or lines, or visual gags that make the movie the classic it is. It's brilliantly written, has a fantastic cast, is full of sight gags, and is completely relatable, while still having enough strange and surreal scenes to really stand out. This movie deserves a place on every DVD shelf, especially those in need of some smart, subtle humor!

Better Off Dead can be purchased online at

Amazon.com

BestBuy.com

CDUniverse.com

Buy.com and

BarnesandNoble.com