Flashback Friday: Better Off Dead

 This Flashback is brought to you by I WANT MY TWO DOLLARS.

Whatever happened to Savage Steve Holland? Back in ye olde 80s, Savage Steve Holland wrote and directed two movies with John Cusack: One Crazy Summer and, one of my all-time favorite 80s teen movies, Better Off Dead.

I know most girls dig on Cusack as Lloyd Dobler from Say Anything, but my Cusack Crush has always been Lane Meyer, a suicidal skiier recently dumped by his girlfriend Beth. It's kind of funny, because supposedly, John Cusack hates this movie and won't even talk about it or refer to the director by name. Ouch.

 
 Seriously, who could resist this?

While the film delves a lot into the absurd, both with the many explorations of Lane's quirky family and with his half-assed attempts at suicide, the most absurd element of the film is that it takes Lane so long to realize his ex-girlfriend Beth is a zero compared to the French foreign exchange student living across the street. Not only is Monique beautiful; she loves baseball and American muscle cars, and has a flair for auto maintenance and repair.

Better Off Dead has become somewhat of a cult classic, having done mediocrely at the box office. With a trailer like this, however, it's no small wonder:

Comments

[diamondcait]

ZOMG! I LOVE this movie! "I'm sorry your mom blew up", and the anteater coat! This movie is sublime - how could John Cusack hate this movie? And the mom boiling the bacon and her Franch cooking... there's so much to love...

[lori]

i have ALWAYS loved this movie from the first time I saw it on VHS at my friend's house (we didn't have a VCR yet) to the bonding moment with the guy who would go on to become my "The Boy" ... ahh... love this movie.

The Sneeze had a great tribute with an interview with the actor who played Ricky: http://www.thesneeze.com/better-off-dead-tribute/

[Stephanie]

Love, love, LOOOVVEE this movie. I admit I didn't see it when it first came out b/c I was pretty young, but I've loved seeing it since. "Two dollars, I want my two dollars..." I still go around saying that. :)

Now I'm going to have to Netflix it...

[ljpock]

@Stephanie - I too use the "I want my 2 dollars" phrase and sometimes wonder if the "youngins" get it or just think I'm some bat shit crazy lady?

[ljpock]

@Stephanie - I too use the "I want my 2 dollars" phrase and sometimes wonder if the "youngins" get it or just think I'm some bat shit crazy lady?

[ljpock]

@Stephanie - I too use the "I want my 2 dollars" phrase and sometimes wonder if the "youngins" get it or just think I'm some bat shit crazy lady?

[BaltimoreGal]

French fries, french bread, french dressing...

[Mighty Hunter]

This mountain is pure snow!

[JellyBean]

Thank you for reminding me of this movie - one of my all time favorites! I am glad I am not the only one who still randomly says "I want my two dollars". I know my husband doesn't get the reference & he never asks why I am saying it either. I repeat the "fraunch fries, fraunch dressing" bit too.

[Major Bedhead]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one out there saying "Two dollars! I want my two dollars!" whenever I have the chance. I love this movie. I think I love it more than Say Anything, although that movie has some great lines, too.

[DianaCLT]

TENTacles. TENTacles. Big difference.

Do you have any idea of the street value of this mountain?!?

[MichelleH]

I love, love, love this movie!! Remember when John Cusack was dreamy and not smug and weird?? I think he is one of the few people I have seen Jon Stewart have a hard time interviewing on TDS.. wish we coulda just frozen Lane/Lloyd era Cusack in carbonite or something... ;)

[Kimm]

This is 1 of my favorites. I have it on VHS. "First go that way, very fast. If something gets in your way, turn." Great skiing advice. And the scene where he meets Beth, it's great.