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Better Off Dead... (1985)

7.1
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Ratings: 7.1/10 from 24,477 users  
Reviews: 165 user | 35 critic

A teenager has to deal with his girlfriend dumping him among family crises, homicidal paper boys, and a rival skier.

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
...
Jenny Meyer
...
Johnny Gasparini
Scooter Stevens ...
Badger Meyer
...
Laura Waterbury ...
Mrs. Smith
...
Ricky Smith (as Daniel Schneider)
...
Yee Sook Ree
Brian Imada ...
Chen Ree
Chuck Mitchell ...
Rocko
...
Beth Truss
...
Aaron Dozier ...
Roy Stalin
Frank Burt Avalon ...
Roy's Ski Buddy #1
Edit

Storyline

Lane Meyer is a depressed teen who loses his girlfriend Beth. Her given reason for breaking up is: "Lane, I think it'd be in my best interest if I dated somebody more popular. Better looking. Drives a nicer car." Anyway, poor Lane is left alone and thinks up treacherous ways of killing himself. He finally meets a French beauty called Monique and falls for her. Simultaneously, he must endure his mother's terrible cooking which literally slides off the table and his disgusting next door neighbour Ricky (and his mum) while he prepares for the skiing race of his life - to get his old girlfriend back! Written by Michael Feller <reb@magna.com.au>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

You've blown up your neighbor's mom. Your seven-year-old brother has better luck with women than you do. Your girlfriend has a new boyfriend. Relax, you're never... See more »

Genres:

Comedy | Romance

Certificate:

PG | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

11 October 1985 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Better Off Dead  »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

People protested the film's original tagline, "Sometimes...you're Better Off Dead," so it was changed to "Relax...you're never Better Off Dead." See more »

Goofs

When Lane plays his sax to Monique at dinner, his fingers don't match the music being played. Also, the sound of the saxophone is performed on a digital sampler. See more »

Quotes

Lane Myer: She only speaks French, Roy. She doesn't speak imbecile.
See more »

Crazy Credits

The last line of the credits reads The film's over... you can go now. See more »

Connections

Referenced in Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (2011) See more »

Soundtracks

"Arrested By You"
Music by Rupert Hine
Lyrics by Torrence Merdur
Performed by Rupert Hine
Produced by Rupert Hine
See more »

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User Reviews

 
Everybody Wants Some....
10 March 1999 | by (Boston, MA) – See all my reviews

I recently held a movie survey for an upcoming 12-hour "silly film" party at my house. This movie, surprisingly, was the top title to be voted on out of about 40 movies. Then I thought about it a bit - I loved this flick, and over 14 years, videos have been rented and others saw it and love it as well. What other flick can have a homicidal paper boy, a japanese guy who speaks only as howard cosell, a car that has darkened our driveway for six months, the k-12, and charles demar? The love story inside of it is good as well. "Reminds me of the moonshine Ricky's dead pappy used to make - God Bless him!" 9 of 10.


14 of 21 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

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John Cusack hates Better off Dead SpinCT
Other Definitive 80's Comedies barrerarama
Favorite 80's blond bully - nemesis? ohlou326
Was this movie written by a child? Dumb and Cheesy. waters-9
who else thought Beth was a bit** JLetofan
This is shown very briefly, but someone pointed it out to me... robotiqua
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