it just didn't work with the kids
Funny
Farm
is
not
even
on
tonight
and
I've
got
a
little
more
to
say
about
that
film.
Because,
it
feels
recently
as
I
get
to
the
movies
in
the
later
80s,
I
end
up
wanting
to
fix
them
(like
Bloodsport)
or
defending
them
inordinately
(like
Willow).
And,
Funny
Farm
is
just
too
easy
to
pick
apart.
So
many
scenes
just
happen
for
no
reason,
no
connection
to
other
scenes,
just
to
get
to
a
punchline.
Characters
decide
they
like
the
small
tow
n
just
because.
I
mean,
imagine
that
Elizabeth's
book
inspires
Andy
to
rewrite
his
and
make
it
better,
or
reading
her
fictional
version
of
him
inspires
him
to
fix
his
life,
befriend
the
locals,
and
figure
out
how
to
actually
live
in
Redbud
instead
of
whatever
permanent
vacation
he
thinks
he's
on...
But, I digress because Big is on tonight. And, right away Josh has more personality and more motivation than Andy had in the entirety of Funny Farm. And, Tom Hanks' physical comedy is far better than Chevy Chase's.
He doesn't catch a snake on his hook for no reason. Seriously, think about that scene. Andy goes fishing in the back yard pond and it doesn't go badly because of any faulty of his. He just catches a snake because. And the n the fishing line gets caught because, why not? And the snake gets inside the house because we have to suddenly think that Elizabeth is having a horrible time even though we just saw her inside with music in her headphones, cleaning up the place like her life has never been better. And in the next scene, Andy is explaining that she's been cooped up and he's been busy writing. He was just fishing and she was just not feeling cooped up. It's bad storytelling, bad scriptwriting, and for some reason back in 1988 we loved it because it gave us laughs.
Talking to Sarah today, I realized that Funny Farm is basically the same movie as The Money Pit--couple get into a situation that should be perfectly fine, it goes wron g because of things out of their control, their relationship is tested (or so we're told--and The Money Pit does a better job of this part, at least--and then everything gets miraculously fixed in the end. And, it's such a basic story that I lament today that 32 years ago, I laughed and enjoyed it all and didn't care a whit about, to quote Elizabeth Farmer, "the story?!" I didn't care about motivation and, you know, logical connection from scene to scene...
But that's not true either. I mean, I just liked movies. Good, bad, making sense or not making sense, give me some funny bits, some great action, give me something to grab my attention and hold me there, and the details didn't matter, because what else was there? I think that problem was--or is--that my internal database of movies was a lot smaller then, so I just couldn't be bothered to be picky. Now, I will still watch anything. Trust me, I watch both award - worthy indies and I watch low-budget horror crap regularly. I watch big blockbusters and fun streaming originals. Serious dramas, comedies, horror, action, sci-fi, whatever. But, I don't just like all of it anymore.
Big holds up better than Funny Farm or The Mone y Pit. And, has a similar throughline as Mannequin. Magic setup, new guy shows up the conniving regulars at his new job, add some romance, some messaging about how a more creative (youthful) spirit is what business needs, and don't try to force your jokes.
Plus, Josh's apartment is an awesome space. And, it just reminded me of Three Men and a Baby.. Because of that great entryway, I guess. And I realize I should h ave included that movie on the 1987 portion of my list, but oh well. This deconstruction is winding down soon. Can't be adding movies now.
But, I digress because Big is on tonight. And, right away Josh has more personality and more motivation than Andy had in the entirety of Funny Farm. And, Tom Hanks' physical comedy is far better than Chevy Chase's.
He doesn't catch a snake on his hook for no reason. Seriously, think about that scene. Andy goes fishing in the back yard pond and it doesn't go badly because of any faulty of his. He just catches a snake because. And the n the fishing line gets caught because, why not? And the snake gets inside the house because we have to suddenly think that Elizabeth is having a horrible time even though we just saw her inside with music in her headphones, cleaning up the place like her life has never been better. And in the next scene, Andy is explaining that she's been cooped up and he's been busy writing. He was just fishing and she was just not feeling cooped up. It's bad storytelling, bad scriptwriting, and for some reason back in 1988 we loved it because it gave us laughs.
Talking to Sarah today, I realized that Funny Farm is basically the same movie as The Money Pit--couple get into a situation that should be perfectly fine, it goes wron g because of things out of their control, their relationship is tested (or so we're told--and The Money Pit does a better job of this part, at least--and then everything gets miraculously fixed in the end. And, it's such a basic story that I lament today that 32 years ago, I laughed and enjoyed it all and didn't care a whit about, to quote Elizabeth Farmer, "the story?!" I didn't care about motivation and, you know, logical connection from scene to scene...
But that's not true either. I mean, I just liked movies. Good, bad, making sense or not making sense, give me some funny bits, some great action, give me something to grab my attention and hold me there, and the details didn't matter, because what else was there? I think that problem was--or is--that my internal database of movies was a lot smaller then, so I just couldn't be bothered to be picky. Now, I will still watch anything. Trust me, I watch both award - worthy indies and I watch low-budget horror crap regularly. I watch big blockbusters and fun streaming originals. Serious dramas, comedies, horror, action, sci-fi, whatever. But, I don't just like all of it anymore.
Big holds up better than Funny Farm or The Mone y Pit. And, has a similar throughline as Mannequin. Magic setup, new guy shows up the conniving regulars at his new job, add some romance, some messaging about how a more creative (youthful) spirit is what business needs, and don't try to force your jokes.
Plus, Josh's apartment is an awesome space. And, it just reminded me of Three Men and a Baby.. Because of that great entryway, I guess. And I realize I should h ave included that movie on the 1987 portion of my list, but oh well. This deconstruction is winding down soon. Can't be adding movies now.
Comments
Post a Comment