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Phoebe Cates, Rik Mayall, Marsha Mason, Tim Matheson, Carrie Fisher ... see more see more... , Keith Charles , Ron Eldard , Ashley Peldon , Daniel Gerroll , Kelly Benson , Tom Bethke , Peter Breitmayer , Daniel Buchen , Sjoukje DeJong Douma , Bridget Fonda , Elizabeth Gray , Cheryl Hawker , Cathy Lind Hayes , Paul Holmes , Marie Mathay , Robert Meyzen , Eleanor Mondale , Clark Niederjohn , Bob Reid , Peter Thoemke , Michael Welker , Lynn Kressel , Steve Cochran

Phoebe Cates stars in this bizarre comedy that wants to be the kind of stylish comic fable the likes of Tim Burton's Beetlejuice and Pee-wee's Big Adventure but ends up looking like a shabby burlesque... read more read more... about schizophrenia. Cates is Elizabeth, who has recently separated from her philandering husband Charles (Tim Matheson) and moved back home with her harridan mother Polly (Marsha Mason). Back in her old little-girl haunts, she regresses into childhood and recalls her imaginary childhood friend Drop Dead Fred (Rik Mayall), a nasty, ill-tempered sociopath. As a child, Elizabeth created mayhem with her imaginary pal, but Polly locked him up tight in a jack-in-the-box. But now, Elizabeth mistakenly liberates him from the jack-in-the-box, and the newly freed Drop Dead Fred proceeds to wreak more havoc than the Id Monster from Forbidden Planet -- taking vengeance upon all the people who have made Elizabeth miserable -- and then some. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Flixster Users

72% liked it

181,039 ratings

Critics

7% liked it

14 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 43 min.

Directed by: Ate de Jong

Release Date: April 19, 1991

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DVD Release Date: July 22, 2003

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Stats: 8,349 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (8,349)

  • phubbs1
    August 1, 2010
    phubbs1
    This is great purely for Rik. I love 'Bottom' and 'The Young Ones' and this is close to being great stuff, close. The idea is cool and original but it needed more mischief from Rik and more risky laughs. Its still good, love Rik's look.
  • guaybanex
    July 18, 2010
    guaybanex
    Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.

    Probably why Phoebe Cates retired from acting.
  • stormyweather980
    August 15, 2009
    stormyweather980
    I've been watching "Drop Dead Fred" for years and it's still one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Everybody does a good job acting and it has some of the funniest sequences of any movie ever. Phoebe Cates used to have an imaginary friend, but now she's grown up. All of a su... read moredden he comes back and she's the only one that can see him. However, she is more mature now, so she tries to ignore him and even make him go away, but she realizes she still feels like a kid sometimes and wants her imaginary friend to stay around.
    "Drop Dead Fred" is one of the best comedy films ever and you'll never get tired of watching it. It's one of the few movies that will never get old. If you like comedy movies, this is one you can't miss. NOTE: That was my Amazon review from the year 2000. Always loved this one and still do.....wow, people on this site only rate this movie and average of 3 stars!?? What's wrong with you all?
  • romy861
    April 26, 2009
    romy861
    Probably wouldn't work if it was to be released now, but at the time, this was a decent movie, and still smile rewatching it.
  • FiLmCrAzY
    November 24, 2007
    FiLmCrAzY
    excellant i thought it was really funny like every kids imaginary friends lol
    love fred was excellant
  • EightThirty
    October 2, 2007
    EightThirty
    Fun and Funny
  • dreamfaeries
    September 21, 2007
    dreamfaeries
    My favorite movie when I was younger. Cute, sweet, and funny.
  • LitelBluHli
    August 9, 2007
    LitelBluHli
    Ah! Childhood memories!
  • YosemiteSamFan
    June 9, 2007
    YosemiteSamFan
    An important movie about overcoming those who control you. Phoebe Cates needs to call on her imaginary friend "Drop Dead Fred" to assert herself against her domineering fiance and mother. It's a film about growing up and become an adult. Rik Mayall plays the very naughty but love... read moreable imaginary friend. This movie can be somewhat childish, cheap and annoying, but I found it to be a light enjoyable comedy with my brand of humour. There's a nice funny appearance from Carrie Fisher as Phoebe's best friend.
  • 76Majikat
    February 28, 2007
    76Majikat
    If you're a grown up with a bit of a kid still in you watch this film

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Critic Reviews

Brian Orndorf
May 24, 2011
Brian Orndorf, BrianOrndorf.com

An appallingly unpleasant, unfunny, and deeply disturbed motion picture. It's an ear-splitting slapstick comedy for an unknown audience, unifying parents and kids in discomfort with its aggressive mov... Full Review

Widgett Walls
March 23, 2004
Widgett Walls, Needcoffee.com

'Cute film' and 'Young Ones alum' don't normally appear in the same sentence, do they?

Gerry Shamray
February 7, 2003
Gerry Shamray, Sun Newspapers of Cleveland

Icky comedy.

Ken Hanke
November 6, 2002
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

What were they thinking?

Scott Weinberg
July 26, 2002
Scott Weinberg, eFilmCritic.com

I know this flick has its fans, but I saw it 14 years ago ... and I still have a headache.

Owen Gleiberman
September 7, 2011
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

Click to read the article Full Review

September 3, 2008
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Stephen Holden
May 20, 2003
Stephen Holden, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Hal Hinson
January 1, 2000
Hal Hinson, Washington Post

Click to read the article Full Review

April 19, 1991
Entertainment Weekly

Click to read the article Full Review

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Drop Dead Fred Trivia

  • Who was known as the Megabitch in the film Drop Dead Fred?  Answer »
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  • What two words can fill the blanks to make up the titles of two different movies? 1. ______ ______ Gorgeous 2. ______ ______ Fred  Answer »
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