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Better Off Dead... (1985) 7.1
A teenager has to deal with his girlfriend dumping him among family crises, homicidal paper boys, and a rival skier. Director:Savage Steve HollandWriter:Savage Steve Holland |
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Title: Better Off Dead... (1985)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| John Cusack | ... | ||
| David Ogden Stiers | ... | ||
| Kim Darby | ... |
Jenny Meyer
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| Demian Slade | ... |
Johnny Gasparini
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Scooter Stevens | ... |
Badger Meyer
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| Diane Franklin | ... | ||
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Laura Waterbury | ... |
Mrs. Smith
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| Dan Schneider | ... |
Ricky Smith
(as Daniel Schneider)
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| Yuji Okumoto | ... |
Yee Sook Ree
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Brian Imada | ... |
Chen Ree
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Chuck Mitchell | ... |
Rocko
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| Amanda Wyss | ... |
Beth Truss
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| Curtis Armstrong | ... | ||
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Aaron Dozier | ... |
Roy Stalin
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Frank Burt Avalon | ... |
Roy's Ski Buddy #1
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Plot Summary
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Plot Synopsis
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>
Taglines:
Teenage life has never been darker...or funnier... See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
11 October 1985 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Better Off Dead See more »Filming Locations:
Sandy's Char Burger - 6223 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, California, USA See more »Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
StereoColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield
Performed by Neil Sedaka
Courtesy of RCA Records
See more »
Did You Know?
Goofs
The High School quest singer is wearing a sleeveless dress. The next song she sings she has puffed sleeves on her dress. See more »Crazy Credits
As the credits roll, Badger's home-built space shuttle launches through the roof of the garage and soars into the night sky. See more »Soundtracks
"Breakin' Up Is Hard To Do"Written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield
Performed by Neil Sedaka
Courtesy of RCA Records
See more »
Eighties teen films, I love 'em. I never tire of this brand of entertainment that's a true product of it pop-culture times. There's something about this wonderful era. Everything about the humour had a natural build up, and even during the hits or misses it stayed consistently amusing without resorting to gross-outs. 'Better off Dead' fits that buck. Here's another cherished coming of age story through the eyes of a troubled teenager dealing with a dumped relationship and the embarrassments that seem to follow through the painful years of high school and everyday life. Wallowing in self-pity, eventually it comes to identifying self-confidence over what isn't the impossible. What am I going to type that someone hasn't already. Nothing. The plot is secondary to the oddball episodic set-pieces and comic characters, where the flow is unpredictable and original like out of some daydreaming teenager's imagination. John Cusack (a pin-up boy for these roles) has that likable, down-to-earth awe which fits. Surrounding him is a fantastically hearty support cast in David Ogden Stiers, Kim Darby, Diane Franklin, Demian Slade, Amanda Wyss, Curtis Armstrong, Dan Schneider and Laura Waterbury. Director Savage Steve Holland throws caution to the wind with his animatedly interesting style, but manages to make sure everything still comes together without really trying. Well it looks so. Visual gags also have a powerful note like the night-time chase sequence involving a persistent paperboy after his 2 dollars and the drag racing scenes with a pair of Asians. Even the ski scenes are well shot. An upbeat soundtrack pounds out the catchy, nostalgic tunes and cements an provocatively charming sincereness. It's hard to pass up this self-knowing, off-kilter teenage comedy/romance winner.