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Better Off Dead...

  • 19851985
  • PGPG
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
44K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,888
22
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
John Cusack in Better Off Dead... (1985)
Official Trailer
Play trailer1:29
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Comedy
  • Romance

After his girlfriend ditches him for a boorish ski jock, Lane decides that suicide is the only answer. However, his increasingly inept attempts bring him only more agony and embarrassment. F... Read allAfter his girlfriend ditches him for a boorish ski jock, Lane decides that suicide is the only answer. However, his increasingly inept attempts bring him only more agony and embarrassment. Filled with the wildest teen nightmares.After his girlfriend ditches him for a boorish ski jock, Lane decides that suicide is the only answer. However, his increasingly inept attempts bring him only more agony and embarrassment. Filled with the wildest teen nightmares.

IMDb RATING
7.1/10
44K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,888
22
  • Director
    • Savage Steve Holland
  • Writer
    • Savage Steve Holland
  • Stars
    • John Cusack
    • David Ogden Stiers
    • Kim Darby
Top credits
  • Director
    • Savage Steve Holland
  • Writer
    • Savage Steve Holland
  • Stars
    • John Cusack
    • David Ogden Stiers
    • Kim Darby
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 221User reviews
    • 49Critic reviews
    • 51Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Better Off Dead
    Trailer 1:29
    Better Off Dead

    Photos103

    John Cusack in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    John Cusack in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    Diane Franklin in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    Kim Darby and Laura Waterbury in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    Elizabeth Daily in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    Diane Franklin in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    Demian Slade in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    Curtis Armstrong in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    David Ogden Stiers in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    Elizabeth Daily in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    Diane Franklin and Laura Waterbury in Better Off Dead... (1985)
    Yuji Okumoto in Better Off Dead... (1985)

    Top cast

    Edit
    John Cusack
    John Cusack
    • Lane Meyeras Lane Meyer
    David Ogden Stiers
    David Ogden Stiers
    • Al Meyeras Al Meyer
    Kim Darby
    Kim Darby
    • Jenny Meyeras Jenny Meyer
    Demian Slade
    Demian Slade
    • Johnny Gasparinias Johnny Gasparini
    Scooter Stevens
    • Badger Meyeras Badger Meyer
    Diane Franklin
    Diane Franklin
    • Monique Junotas Monique Junot
    Laura Waterbury
    Laura Waterbury
    • Mrs. Smithas Mrs. Smith
    Dan Schneider
    • Ricky Smithas Ricky Smith
    • (as Daniel Schneider)
    Yuji Okumoto
    Yuji Okumoto
    • Yee Sook Reeas Yee Sook Ree
    Brian Imada
    • Chen Reeas Chen Ree
    Chuck Mitchell
    Chuck Mitchell
    • Rockoas Rocko
    Amanda Wyss
    Amanda Wyss
    • Beth Trussas Beth Truss
    Curtis Armstrong
    Curtis Armstrong
    • Charles De Maras Charles De Mar
    Aaron Dozier
    • Roy Stalinas Roy Stalin
    Frank Burt Avalon
    • Roy's Ski Buddy #1as Roy's Ski Buddy #1
    Joe W. Davis
    • Roy's Ski Buddy #2as Roy's Ski Buddy #2
    • (as J. Warren David)
    Peter Ellenstein
    • Roy's Ski Buddy #3as Roy's Ski Buddy #3
    Vincent Schiavelli
    Vincent Schiavelli
    • Mr. Kerberas Mr. Kerber
    • Director
      • Savage Steve Holland
    • Writer
      • Savage Steve Holland
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    The teenager Lane Meyer has a crush on his girlfriend Beth Truss. When Beth dumps him to stay with the successful skier Roy Stalin, Lane is depressed and decides to commit suicide. However he gives up and tries to improve his skill of skier to ski the dangerous K12 slope to impress Beth. Meanwhile his neighbor Mrs. Smith receives the exchange French student Monique Junot and her fat son Ricky Smith considers Monique his girlfriend; however, Monique has an unrequited crush on Lane that does not note her. When Lane stumbles upon Monique in a high-school party, he befriends her. The upset Lane challenges Roy in a competition on the K12 slope but then he regrets. However Monique is a great mechanic and skier, and fix Lane's Camaro and teaches him how to ski the K12 slope. What will happen to Lane? —Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
    • french girl
    • skiing
    • exchange student
    • high school
    • teen comedy
    • 260 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Insanity doesn't run in the family, it gallops.
    • Genres
      • Comedy
      • Romance
    • Certificate
      • PG
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      According to Savage Steve Holland, the film is mostly autobiographical. Holland really was suicidal when his high school girlfriend left him for captain of the ski team. Also, he really did have a paperboy named Johnny Gasparini who would harass him for two dollars. According to Holland, when the film came out, the ex-girlfriend contacted him to apologize.
    • Goofs
      The High School quest singer is wearing a sleeveless dress. The next song she sings she has puffed sleeves on her dress.
    • Quotes

      Paperboy: Two dollars!

    • Crazy credits
      The last line of the credits reads The film's over... you can go now.
    • Alternate versions
      Network TV/HBO versions include two additional shots at the end of the film, one being a wide angle shot of the baseball stadium, and the other being a close up shot of Monique and Lane kissing together. Because of the deletion of these shots, the music and sound effects on the current video release are not synchronized with the picture.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Better Off Dead/The Journey of Natty Gann/Commando (1985)
    • Soundtracks
      Breakin' Up Is Hard To Do
      Written by Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield

      Performed by Neil Sedaka

      Courtesy of RCA Records

    User reviews221

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Unconventional teen movie with surreal elements
    I've seen "Better Off Dead..." in late 2017. I have a tendency to avoid teen comedies or coming-of-age films once I passed into adulthood. To my defense, most teen films done lately are atrocities, to say the least, with dumb down characters, playing on stereotypes and modern social issues in the wrong way. Not ten minutes in and I instantly regretted not seeing this movie earlier. It has such a wacky take on teenage days in the 80's, with a hint of surreal and supernatural.

    "Better Off Dead..." is about a high school student, played by boy-wonder John Cusack, who gets dumped by his girlfriend, leaving him with suicidal inclinations while trying to win her back by extreme measures. The characters are simply excellent, just mildly stereotyping the teen genre, with a memorable newspaper boy and his eternal yell "I want my two dollars!"

    Savage Steve Holland's debut film would assure him as a cult director, but sadly once the 90's emerged, he would fall into an abyss of mediocraty.

    "Better Off Dead..." is a unique teen movie that captures the vibe of the 80's and is an essential watch in a period where the "brat-pack" ruled.
    helpful•7
    0
    • aquascape
    • Mar 29, 2018

    FAQ2

    • If John Cusack was so mad at Savage Steve Holland over this film, why did he work with him again in One Crazy Summer?
    • Why does the paper boy keep showing up and demanding two dollars from Lane?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 11, 1985 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Better Off Dead
    • Filming locations
      • Alta, Utah, USA
    • Production companies
      • A&M Films
      • CBS Theatrical Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $10,297,601
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $56,371
      • Aug 25, 1985
    • Gross worldwide
      • $10,297,601
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 37 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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