agmtw logo
search
Better Off Dead... (1985)

Better Off Dead... (1985)

PG

An 80s teen romcom that has surprisingly aged well

7.5

Movie

United States of America
English, Hungarian
Comedy, Romance
1985
SAVAGE STEVE HOLLAND
Amanda Wyss, Chuck Mitchell, Curtis Armstrong
97 min

TLDR

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.

Comments

Add a comment

Your name

Your comment

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

Once Were Warriors (1994)

A Maori family survives in an alienating Auckland in this raw, tragic drama

8.0

My Old Ass (2024)

A pleasant mix of comedy and coming-of-age that may or may not leave you in tears

8.0

Laapataa Ladies (2024)

Two brides are accidentally swapped in this refreshing comedy of errors

8.9

Look Back (2024)

Art connects people through time and space in this short and sweet drama

9.0

200 Meters (2020)

A father stops at nothing to visit his injured son in this raw, thoughtful road drama

7.5

We Live in Time (2024)

A fullhearted non-linear romantic drama that reminds us to cherish time together

7.3

His Three Daughters (2024)

Three sisters deal with life and death in this moving family portrait

8.2

System Crasher (2019)

A tale of trauma and one of the most talked about movies on Netflix in 2020.

9.0

My King (2015)

A lover heals her knee and her heart in this contemplative drama about co-dependency

7.0

Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (2002)

Two boys bond with the village seamstress through banned books in this coming-of-age historical drama

7.2

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2024 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.