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John Cusack, David Ogden Stiers, Kim Darby, Demian Slade, Scooter Stevens ... see more see more... , Diane Franklin , Laura Waterbury , Curtis Armstrong , Amanda Wyss , Aaron Dozier , Yano Anaya , Frank Burt Avalon , Elizabeth Daily , Sebastian Dungan , Peter Ellenstein , Toby Iland , Rich Little , Chuck Mitchell , Taylor Negron , Yuji Okumoto , Stuart K. Robinson , Randy Stoklos , Steven Williams , Rick Rosenthal , Vincent Schiavelli , J. Warren David , Rima Delane , Jonathan Charles Fox , Darren Harris , Sam High , Brian Imada , Tina Littlewood , Edward Mehler , Thomas Rollerson , Joey Tushnet , Dan Schneider , David Vaughan

Most animation aficionados of the 1990s know "Savage Steve Holland" as the cocreator (with Bill Kopp) of the all-stops-out TV cartoon series Eek! The Cat. But Holland had been exercising his own pecul... read more read more...iar brand of deviltry on live characters long before Eek! came into being. In Holland's Better Off Dead, John Cusack plays a lovestruck teenager, hopelessly enamored with Amanda Wyss. When she dumps him in favor of a more popular high-schooler, the boy's entire day quickly goes to Hell. In the words of Hamlet, all occasions do inform against Cusack: he is bullied, tormented and torn apart by everyone from the paperboy (who seemingly turns up everywhere) to the disembodied voice of a radio deejay. Cusack attempts suicide, but his efforts are just as unsuccessful-and amusing-as Bud Cort's in Harold and Maude. Meanwhile, French exchange student Diane Franklin, held a virtual prisoner by her host family, develops a long-distance crush on Cusack. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Flixster Users

85% liked it

53,145 ratings

Critics

82% liked it

22 critics

PG, 1 hr. 37 min.

Directed by: Savage Steve Holland

Release Date: January 1, 1985

Keywords: teen, 80s

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DVD Release Date: July 16, 2002

Stats: 3,887 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (3,887)

  • jennifxu
    April 20, 2012
    jennifxu
    Things only started picking up when John Cusack stared hanging out with the pseudo-French girl. She was really adorable.
  • movieguru12
    December 2, 2011
    movieguru12
    Hilarious John Cusack movie :) I love it :) He was so adorable in the 80s & I love that Johnny kid who always wanted his two dollars lol :) :) :) :) :) :)
  • cosmo313
    July 17, 2011
    cosmo313
    This little 80s teen rom-com is essentially John Hughes lite. That's okay though, because even though it's like listening to a decent cover version of a great song, it's still pretty good and enjoyable in its own right.

    John Cusack plays Lane, a quirky average joe who is obsesse... read mored with a hot popular chick. He decides that life is no longer worth living after she dumps him for a more popular jock. What ensues is a bizarre, surreal look at 80s suburbia and all the weirdness that goes on in Lane's life as he tries to win back the girl of his dreams (or try to kill himself).

    This is a very odd, random movie, but it's never too morose or too sappy. The sesne of humor is very quirky and a tad dark, and the film is overflowing with a bunch of stuff that I can only describe as quintessentially 80s. You just have to see it to know what I'm talking about. Some of this also sort of reminded me of attempts at Woodt Allen, what with the neurotic odd balls and very meta-moments.

    Cusack is good, but the supporting players are the oens who really steal the show here, from the math teacher played by Vincent Schiavelli to Lane's deranged housewife mom played by Kim Darby, to his best friend, and the world's most persistent paperboy. And the Japansese guy who can only talk in English if he does an impression of Howard Cosell.

    Give this one a look. It could have had a far stronger story and plot, but the surreal nature and offbeat humor make it really fun to watch.
  • imrealgod
    July 9, 2011
    imrealgod
    A good-for-almost-nothing teenager Lane Myer begins to lose his sanity when his girlfriend Beth dumps him for his all-rounder colleague Roy Stalin. He tries to win back her girlfriend by trying to improving himself and attempting to excel in skiing, but all in vain. Meanwhile, he... read more gets acquainted with a French girl Monique who has come to live in his neighbor Ricky's house. Ricky's mother tries endlessly to force her into a relationship with Ricky. The girl doesn't know English, but has a crush on Lane. So this good-for-almost-everything French beauty decides to help him out..... (I've tried my best to exclude spoilers, but even if I did, just ignore it.)

    It's a typical rom-com that gave me more yawns than laughs. The logic hardly has any place here. I might have appreciated it if, at the very least, it gave some sort of entertainment. But all it left me with was a few laughs and more boredom. I preferred to watch it over another movie because of its high rating and short duration. But little did I know that despite of such a short duration, it'd be tough to endure. One hour should have been tops for this one. There are numerous unwanted sequences while certain scenes are dragged (the party, skiing lessons, the boy following him almost throughout the whole movie for $2, etc.) unnecessarily. After a point, they don't appear funny any longer. All they do is add to the runtime of the movie and boredom for me (one of the most invaluable audiences).

    The movie might have been highly adorable in its time, but I can't say it's aged well. Good for a few laughs if you have no better option. The only reason I've rated it this high (otherwise, it'd have been 1/5) is the remarkable performances by the lead actors that made it a far tolerable fare for more than what it might have been otherwise.
  • CloudStrife84
    April 23, 2011
    CloudStrife84
    So random you'd think it was written by Seth McFarlane. I always enjoy a good 80's comedy, but this didn't really do it for me. It's just really weird and bizarre and full of unfunny antics. Overall though, it's entertaining enough to be worth the view. But if you want a great hi... read moregh school flick starring a teenage John Cusack, I suggest you watch Say Anything instead.
  • garyX
    February 8, 2011
    garyX
    A high school student loses his girlfriend to an obnoxious jock and sets about winning her back. Better Off Dead is a clear attempt to jump on the John Hughes bandwagon, containing the same mix of half-hearted surrealism, "growing pains" and nerds vs jocks storyline. Some of the ... read morejokes have stood the test of time, but the majority has not fared so well. It's all a bit too obvious (the ever likeable Cusack argues with his own cartoons, bad-cook-mom's food crawls off the plate etc etc) and the whole "learning to love the hottie under my nose while I'm trying to win back the bimbo" formula is beyond tired. A bit amateurish and very dated, this film probably stirs fond memories from people who saw it at the time but a re-visitation reveals it to be little better than Saturday morning sitcom standard.
  • ajv2688
    January 19, 2011
    ajv2688
    What a hilarious movie! I love this one, Cusack is fantastic as the main character who's trying to kill himself over a girl. I highly recommend this movie.
  • ythelastman89
    November 18, 2009
    ythelastman89
    One of my favorite teen comedies. The story is offbeat and goes places that most movies like it wouldn't dare. John Cusack is just too perfect at being a lovable goofball. I like that the story didn't revolve around morality, but shear coincidence. It's a really smart plot that w... read moreas ahead of it's time and even though it's background is dated, it's still just as relevant today. I think it's a really good interpretation of the high school experience, not feeling the need to exaggerate or glorify anything.
  • flixsterman
    September 8, 2009
    flixsterman
    I'm either too old or too cranky (or both) to derive much pleasure from watching a barely pubescent John Cusack pursue a prototypical prom queen in a prototypical 80's angst film. This is basically Teen Wolf without the "wolf".
  • hobster1
    August 10, 2009
    hobster1
    Thoroughly winning teen film about a young man who is dumped by his girlfriend. He then sets out to impress her in an attempt to win her back. Extremely inventive comedy has brilliant touches of surrealism that perfectly complement the story. All in all, a fairly predictable p... read morelot, but the laughs are so genuine and sweet, you'll end up loving this classic 80s comedy.

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Critic Reviews

Janet Maslin
May 20, 2003
Janet Maslin, New York Times

The film doesn't seem to have much of a focus. But it doesn't seem to want one, either. Full Review

Peter Canavese
August 2, 2011
Peter Canavese, Groucho Reviews

Full of...goofy ironies, and while it ain't Molière, it is a pretty great entry in the teen-comedy genre. [Blu-ray] Full Review

July 24, 2007
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Unfortunately, only about half of the many jokes and gags in the film are actually funny. Full Review

Stefan Birgir Stefansson
July 19, 2007
Stefan Birgir Stefansson, sbs.is

perhaps the greatest movie of all time Full Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson
September 23, 2006
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid

Hilarious and brilliantly deadpan. Full Review

Brad Laidman
December 6, 2005
Brad Laidman, Film Threat

I've rarely met anyone who didn't secretly love it passionately. Full Review

Carlo Cavagna
August 12, 2003
Carlo Cavagna, AboutFilm.com

Forget Citizen Kane. As a matter of history, this seminal film is unquestionably the finest work of cinema ever made. Required viewing for all students and fans of the art form.

James Sanford
July 31, 2003
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette

strives to be offbeat and sometimes works itself into a sweat doing so. The humor often hits the bullseye, however... Full Review

Fred Topel
July 14, 2003
Fred Topel, About.com

Classic '80s Cusack vehicle.

Ryan Cracknell
July 10, 2003
Ryan Cracknell, Movie Views

Better Off Dead's charm stems from its imagination and attitude. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Facts

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    • Paperboy: I want my two dollars!
    • Lane Myer: She only speaks French, Roy. She doesn't speak imbecile.
    • Charles De Mer: I've been going to this high school for seven and a half years. I'm no dummy. I know high school girls.
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Better Off Dead Trivia

  • Class, Better Off Dead and Being John Malkovich all have which actor in common?  Answer »
  • who was the main actor in "Better off dead"?  Answer »
  • What future "Head of the Class" actor and director of Nickelodeon shows played Ricky in the movie "Better Off Dead"?  Answer »
  • What John Cusack movie is this a quote from? "Sorry I blew up your mom Ricky."  Answer »
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