Not only does this deserve all the attention films like Weird Science and Revenge of the Nerds got, it’s also miles and away better than them.
What it's about
When his girlfriend of six months dumps him, a suicidal Lane (John Cusack) is determined to get her back.
The take
A lot of 80s comedies have not stood the test of time (remember when racism was funny?) but this smart and surreal black comedy narrowly escapes that black hole. Instead of simply leaning into stereotypes, it parodies them, and instead of simple banter, it imagines an absurd world where hamburgers come to life and paperboys have formed gangs to collect their due. There’s no plot here, not really; the fun of watching this comes from seeing how the one absurd scene can top the last. The nostalgic factor also helps, because where else can you hear someone says “spastic nerdbag” with such solemnity?
What stands out
That Dan Schneider bit is extra hard to watch now, but the film does well to recognize his proto-incel character as the villain.
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