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I watched it about a month ago and buzzed through it again last night. I've come to a realization that may actually be insane: This is one of the best movies that I've ever seen.
Why? Because it is one of the few films that I've ever seen to know EXACTLY what it is in all aspects of its production. It has no aspirations to try and explore the human condition or promote change in the world...no...it was conceived as a quickie starring vehicle for a comedian, filmed as a quickie starring vehicle for a comedian, and marketed as a quickie starring vehicle for a comedian. Because they knew this, they had fun with the concept.
First smart move: Don't shoehorn Dice into a 'role'...tailor-make the role based upon his act and let him go nuts.
Second smart move: Keep it R. His act is rated R and that's what people are gonna want to see. Again, let him go nuts.
Third smart move: Make the love interest/sidekick hot. Lauren Holly, thank you for being hot in this film and going along with the joke.
Fourth smart move: Fill the rest of the cast with fun people and let them be ridiculous. Casting Ed O'Neill was a move of genius. Getting Wayne Newton in there was fucking inspired.
Fifth smart move: Be self-referential. The whole movie is making fun of the fact that it's a movie...internal movie-time is played with, Dice makes offhand remarks to being banned from MTV, and the whole ending breaks the 4th wall. It all works
Sixth smart move: Get a fresh director who gets what his job is to deliver the goods. Give him credit: Renny Harlin made a really sharp looking movie for the small budget that he had. He kept it all moving quickly and efficiently. Indeed, his work on the film impressed Joel Silver so much that he landed 'Die Hard 2' off of it.
Blow shit up, be funny, enjoy the ride. Fuck me, I love this film.
Why? Because it is one of the few films that I've ever seen to know EXACTLY what it is in all aspects of its production. It has no aspirations to try and explore the human condition or promote change in the world...no...it was conceived as a quickie starring vehicle for a comedian, filmed as a quickie starring vehicle for a comedian, and marketed as a quickie starring vehicle for a comedian. Because they knew this, they had fun with the concept.
First smart move: Don't shoehorn Dice into a 'role'...tailor-make the role based upon his act and let him go nuts.
Second smart move: Keep it R. His act is rated R and that's what people are gonna want to see. Again, let him go nuts.
Third smart move: Make the love interest/sidekick hot. Lauren Holly, thank you for being hot in this film and going along with the joke.
Fourth smart move: Fill the rest of the cast with fun people and let them be ridiculous. Casting Ed O'Neill was a move of genius. Getting Wayne Newton in there was fucking inspired.
Fifth smart move: Be self-referential. The whole movie is making fun of the fact that it's a movie...internal movie-time is played with, Dice makes offhand remarks to being banned from MTV, and the whole ending breaks the 4th wall. It all works
Sixth smart move: Get a fresh director who gets what his job is to deliver the goods. Give him credit: Renny Harlin made a really sharp looking movie for the small budget that he had. He kept it all moving quickly and efficiently. Indeed, his work on the film impressed Joel Silver so much that he landed 'Die Hard 2' off of it.
Blow shit up, be funny, enjoy the ride. Fuck me, I love this film.
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