Crazy People (1990)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Directors:

Tony Bill
Barry L. Young

Writer (WGA):

Mitch Markowitz (written by)

Release Date:

13 April 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Warning: Crazy People are coming.

Plot:

A bitter ad executive who has reached his breaking point, finds himself in a mental institution where his career actually begins to thrive with the help of the hospital's patients.

Plot Keywords:

Advertising | Product Placement | Reference To Ed Mcmahon | Insanity | Vulgarity

Cast

Dudley Moore	...	Emory Leeson
Daryl Hannah	...	Kathy Burgess
Paul Reiser	...	Stephen Bachman
J.T. Walsh	...	Drucker
Bill Smitrovich	...	Bruce
Alan North	...	Judge
David Paymer	...	George
Danton Stone	...	Saabs
Paul Bates	...	Robles
Dick Cusack	...	Mort
Doug Yasuda	...	Hsu
Floyd Vivino	...	Eddie Aris
Mercedes Ruehl	...	Dr. Liz Baylor
Ben Hammer	...	Dr. Koch
David Packer	...	Mark Olander

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Germany:6 | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Chatham, Virginia, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

John Malkovich was originally cast in part of Emory Leeson, but walked off the set due to personal problems.

Quotes:

George: [character can't say anything except variations on "Hello"] Hello. How the hell are ya?

Movie Connections:

References Downtown (1990)

Soundtrack:

THE HELLO SONG

Half-"Crazy"....

I'm kind of stuck. Half of this movie is the most hilarious I have seen this decade, the other half I could very well have lived without.

"Crazy People" talks about two types of nut cases: ones that are committed to institutions and the others who think they are normal and live on the other side of the wall. Of course, the main crux of the story is when Moore's life takes a nose-dive and he cracks, writing brutally savage ads for some very well-known products ("Quaker Oats - How does it taste? Who knows, but at least the BOX is cute"). Of course, nothing tops the tag line he makes for that horror movie "The Freak" or the ticket lady's comment about this movie later on.

His bosses put him away and then, when his printed ads catch fire and turn advertising on its ear, they recruit him to write more. Only this time, he gets the others in the asylum with him to write ads, too.

Now, this part is funny.

What isn't funny is when they start to take the story seriously and try to shoehorn drama into parts where it doesn't make every single person out as some level of wacko. Drama has its place but not in a movie that takes potshots at Metamucil.

Moore is really great, this is his last really funny role since "Arthur". Reiser has some good scenes as does Hannah, Walsh, Paymer and Ruehl and then there's the ads. My gosh, has there ever been anything ever written as funny as these? Not since "Mad Magazine", really.

"Crazy People" is at least half great; the craziest things in it, though, are the people who thought it should have serious parts.

Five stars for "Crazy People" - watch it for the ads.