Weird Science (1985)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

John Hughes

Writer:

John Hughes (written by)

Release Date:

2 August 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

It's all in the name of science. Weird Science.

Plot:

Two nerdish boys attempt to create the perfect woman, but she turns out to be more than that.

Plot Keywords:

Computer | Perfect Woman | Teenager | Geek | Science Experiment

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Anthony Michael Hall	...	Gary Wallace
Kelly LeBrock	...	Lisa
Ilan Mitchell-Smith	...	Wyatt Donnelly
Bill Paxton	...	Chet Donnelly
Suzanne Snyder	...	Deb
Judie Aronson	...	Hilly
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Ian (as Robert Downey)
Robert Rusler	...	Max
Vernon Wells	...	Lord General
Britt Leach	...	Al Wallace
Barbara Lang	...	Lucy Wallace
Michael Berryman	...	Mutant Biker
Ivor Barry	...	Henry Donnelly
Ann Coyle	...	Carmen Donnelly (as Anne Bernadette Coyle)
Suzy J. Kellems	...	Gymnast

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Brazil:14 | Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Netherlands:AL

Filming Locations:

Central Street, Highland Park, Illinois, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Anthony Michael Hall makes a reference to a girlfriend from Canada. His character "Brian" from The Breakfast Club (1985) also makes a reference to an imaginary girlfriend from Canada.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Ilan Mitchell-Smith (Wyatt) clearly looks like he's about to start laughing almost every time Bill Paxton (Chet) looks directly at him.

Quotes:

[Wyatt is driving himself, Gary and Lisa back to his home. Gary is very drunk]
Garry: Gimme de keys! Gimme de keys!
Wyatt: [to Lisa; concerned] Is he going to be okay?

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Totally Awesome (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

WHY DON'T PRETTY GIRLS LOOK AT ME

THE 80's comedy

Weird Science is the best 80's comedy that was ever made. I'm saying it. Ghostbusters, Summer Rental, The Great Outdoors, Strange Brew, Gung Ho, Mr. Mom, all of these movies have their place, but none of them can match Weird Science for laughs or pure....eightiesness. Yes eightiesness is a quality. It's a corny, dated quality but one that is tangible and valued by my fellow eighties loving brethren to this day. Come back with me if you will to a time when Anthony Michael Hall was still fielding calls and Kelly LeBrock was French for sexy.

Weird Science has everything that an eighties comedy needs: A least one hot girl, a few actors who are no longer working or who do anything that will come along, plenty of dashing eighties threads, a corny as hell eighties soundtrack,(and Oingo Boingo is as corny and eighties as they get), and plenty of cheap funny jokes.

Undoubtedly the best thing about Weird Science is Bill Paxton, who plays Wyatt's older brother Chet. Chet is the worst big brother ever to grace a movie screen and is a role model for all big brothers everywhere, me included. Chet delights in extorting money and valuables from Wyatt in exchange for his silence about Wyatt's activities. The best part in the movie is when Chet gets turned into the toad thing or whatever it is. Man I love that part.

The rest of the cast does a good job of being their stock characters. Kelly LeBrock does a good job of being hot. Robert Downey Jr. shows none of the signs of future drug addiction. The film is unremarkable in the fact that it isn't anything groundbreaking or special. It's just a funny movie. And an eighties classic.

Bottom Line: If you grew up in the eighties and you never saw Weird Science then you must atone for your crimes by going out and buying it right now. Then send me an email telling me how grateful you are that I put you on the path to rightousness and eighties correctness.